Gakutalia: Love Is In The Air
by The Xs and the Os
Summary: "Oh, mine? Well... I hope to get a girlfriend." Welcome back to World Academy! We hope you enjoyed the winter break! In the meantime, our focus for this term will be the mock exams for our Sixth Form, the beautiful Sweetheart's Charity Ball and, of course, our own held performance of the fabulous King Lear! Book tickets in advance, please! And enjoy the drama!
1. Prologue

**A/N:** _Well, guess who's back, with a brand new track?_ ©Cascada _That's right, it's me. And what have I returned with? That's right, Gakutalia. Except this time, it's no longer the first term and the boy's have had their winter break. You know, it's been so long since I've done anything Gakutalia related, and it's so easy to forget just how much you've missed it. I was actually reflecting back to **Gakutalia: The First Term** , and saw that it had reached 11,000 views! To me, that feels like such a **huge** achievement, and I'm really excited to see what everyone will think of its sequel._

 ** _Please note: If you have not read the prequel to this Fic, there is a very big chance you won't have much of an idea as to what is going on. Although they are separate, there are references to the previous Fic that are vital to the plot. I assure you, the first of the Gakutalia series is light-hearted and enjoyable to read, so it hopefully wouldn't disappoint._**

 _It's the long awaited return. It's **Gakutalia: Love Is In The Air**._

* * *

 **Prologue**

* * *

 **A.J.**

 _The kind of hero that I'll one day be is someone who can positively influence the next generation, but who can also leave a lasting impact on the international world. By the time I am a hero, science won't have had the time to invent gloves that can shoot lasers, goggles to read people's thoughts and cars that can fly. As soon as I'm out of school, I'll do something great that won't go unnoticed by anyone. My name will be remembered for the rest of the world's existence – Alfred Jones, Hero of Heroes, Hero of the World – and, if the rest of the world creates the technology for someone as great as me to use, I could be the Hero of the Universe._

"Alfred, _please_ pay attention, eh?" he looked aside at his mother, who was looking at him in pure desperation.

The office they were seated in was wide, with a long desk that fit both Miss Ronan and Headmistress Bentberne comfortably with space between them. There was a small potted plant standing on the desk nearby him. An open window fluttered its leaves. Alfred saw it mockingly swaying before him, unaffected by the problems a student had to face during school. A clock ticked behind him. Each click rang through his head like an unwanted memory or regret. The world outside – with its grey winter skies, and bare trees with their leafless bones – looked as dismal as how he felt. It was December, just after Christmas, and he had had to come into school for a meeting concerning school related issues. It was his holiday, and he was in school.

" _Mr Jones_ ," he swallowed and his eyes flicked towards Headmistress Bentberne, who was giving him a hard stare.

She was a small, tough woman who had learnt how to deal with students from the mistakes of her predecessor, who had resigned once Gilbert Beilschmidt had left school, possibly from stress. Alfred always wondered if having a weak Head of School made it easier to rise in the ranks of popularity. Even Alfred recalled being able to walk all over Mr Lurrey and he hadn't even been at the top of the school at the time. Bentberne was completely different. She wouldn't have put up with Gilbert Beilschmidt's cool kid attitude, and if she was aware about his name scratched in at the bottom of her door, she would have had it removed.

"This is a very important time of your education," Miss Ronan added. "It's in your best interest to hear what we have to say."

"I'm listening," he lied – his head had definitely been elsewhere.

Bentberne leant back in her chair to coolly assess him. "Then you can tell me without hesitation that your general performance in Maths has dropped from a D, to an F?"

"It's not a U," he replied.

" _Alfred_ ," his mother warned.

"Yes, it has," he pushed back the feeling of irritation.

Why was it kids like him were picked on and bullied into attempted perfection, when other kids in his class like Heracles Karpusi sometimes skipped school because they were "sleeping"? He hated how educational people of authority selected particular people they deemed easy to push around. Usually, he would stand up for himself more, but since his mum was present, and he didn't want her to be ashamed of him, he held his tongue.

After giving him a cold scowl, Bentberne raised her chin slightly. "Are you aware that your F is dangerously low and that a U grade is possible for you, Mr Jones?"

 _Anything is achievable for a hero._ "No, Ms Bentberne. I wasn't aware…"

"Are you _also_ aware that you haven't been attending all of Miss Ronan's sessions that were specifically designed for _your sake_?" she asked.

"What?" his mum glanced at him, wide eyed. "Why wasn't I e-mailed about this?"

"Don't worry, Mrs Jones," Miss Ronan said politely. "We only discovered that recently as well…"

"It seems you have a very kind brother, Mr Jones," Bentberne drummed her fingers methodically against the table. "Do you usually push Matthew around until he relents and attends these things for you?"

"Oh, maple," his mum looked horrified. "Alfred?"

"I got him to agree," Alfred mumbled, suddenly feeling cornered by Bentberne's unwavering gaze and heard his mum sigh irritably from beside him.

"Did you also realise that Matthew is currently at a high B grade for Maths where he currently stands, and is expected to achieve an A by the end of the year, therefore not being in need for Maths clinics?" Bentberne continued her vicious onslaught.

"I didn't realise that," he gritted his teeth. "Just suspected it…"

"So, Mr Jones, was it worth it?" Bentberne shrugged. "Or would it have been more sensible to sit through an extra few hours of Maths per week?"

Alfred raised his head and dared to meet her cruel, grey eyes. He opened his mouth in protest, but no words came to him. There were very few times when Alfred Jones was speechless, but this was one of them. He couldn't muster a sensible argument that would smack Bentberne's flat on the ground, whilst remaining aggressively polite and composed.

"I suspected it," she said, and he realised just how bad he'd sounded. "The most important question, though, is what are you going to do? We can't _make you_ got to these clinics, Mr Jones, and you're at perfect liberty to say you don't want them. However, will that benefit you? Next year, you won't be here anymore. Your time at school will be over, or it should be. Many universities like good grades in core subjects such as Maths, English and Science; the top universities will ask for a B in the lowest for Maths. They don't want students who don't try and let their grades fall to U. It's all about how _you_ come across, Mr Jones, not your brother – unless you intend him to sit your exams for you?

"I can tell you that Matthew won't be doing that," she continued. "When Matthew Jones walks into the exam hall with his Maths equipment, prepared for that last onslaught of exams, he will be sitting that exam for _Matthew_ Jones, not _Alfred_ Jones. Hopefully, as predicted, he will get an A and his chosen universities will accept him for the good quality student he is. But what will Alfred Jones get? I would like to change the story's outcome, and say he walks out alongside his brother with a perfectly satisfying B and that his chosen universities will certainly pick him because his refreshing personality is paired with good grades. However, I can't write Mr Jones' story – he'll wander out behind his brother feeling like he could've done better. He'll get a U, an F, a D- or maybe even a C, if he wings it. His chosen universities will falter and retract any offers they've made. He _might_ get into university, but retaking the year or moving on and getting a job will certainly be paths he'll have to consider. I normally don't feel the need to talk to my students in this way, Alfred, but if you don't pick up your grades, you're going to drop your quality of life."

He must've shown _something_ on his face, because the brutality left her expression and she showed a nod of some kind of satisfaction.

"What are you going to do, Mr Jones?" she asked again. "It's more important that you realise now, rather than later, when problems aren't so easy to change."

"I-I…" the letter tumbled from his mouth, but his brain had yet to formulate a sentence. All eyes in the room were focused on him, expecting him to say or do something in the next moment.

He thought about what Mr Winchester would say. He would tell him to be perfectly honest.

"I… don't know."

His words seemed to puncture his mother, who visibly deflated to hear him so uncertain. He was usually more confident than this. He liked to believe he wasn't actually _concerned_ about this Maths issue and university?

"How about I rephrase the question for you, then?" Bentberne was merciless. "Do you wish to discontinue your additional Maths sessions with Miss Ronan?"

He wanted to say 'yes' so desperately, but a large part of him knew that was the wrong answer. There were very few times in real life when there was an incorrect answer, but he could definitely see the negative consequences of answering with 'yes'. But he wanted to be cool. He wanted to be like Gilbert Beilschmidt.

"I don't know," he repeated.

"You… don't know?" there was a deep interest buried in those steel coloured eyes.

"I don't want to do them, but I feel obliged to do so for the sake of my future," he answered numbly.

"We can make a compromise," Miss Ronan suddenly added in, and the attention was turned to her instead. "We can try and make the clinics more entertaining, or even change the atmosphere…"

"Atmosphere?" Bentberne seemed confused.

"Well," Miss Ronan licked her lips nervously. "I tend to find that, as far as students go, Alfred is less willing to listen to his teachers. I wonder if having help from another student would benefit Alfred more?"

"Another student?" Bentberne raised an eyebrow. "To have suggested this, you must have someone in mind, Miss Ronan."

"Yao once offered to help me," Alfred sat upright. " _He_ can teach me."

Miss Ronan smiled sceptically at that. "Yao will distract you from your learning, and you'll distract _him_ from his teaching. That won't work. Although very good at Maths, Yao wasn't the person I had in mind."

"Go on, Miss Ronan," Bentberne cast him a sideways glance. "I'm sure Mr Jones will be willing to work with _any_ student if he truly wants to improve his grades."

Alfred nodded hesitantly and offered a nonchalant shrug to the three women.

"I was thinking Kiku Honda would be able to do it," Miss Ronan chirped.

" _That smartass_?" Alfred blurted out, and watched his mother turn to him in wide eyed horror. "I mean, _Kiku_?"

"Kiku's one of the best in class," Miss Ronan's tone had become significantly more icy. "He's also very focused, which is what I think you'll need."

 _But I don't like Kiku,_ Alfred thought in bitter despair. _He always makes me look like a total idiot in class._

"I'm also sure he'll be more than willing to do this for you," Miss Ronan said.

"What do you think, Alfred?" his mother reached out to affectionately hold his arm. "Do you think this'll help you improve your Maths grade?"

The childish answer was 'no'. The correct answer: 'yes'.

With a sigh, Alfred allowed himself to relent with a muttered, "Yes." It completely went against his pride, and he was sure having Maths sessions with Kiku Honda wasn't something Gilbert Beilschmidt would've done. His idol, who had left school for about two and a bit years now, had supposedly reached an A grade from Miss Ronan's help. Alfred wasn't sure whether to feel concerned that the older Beilschmidt child was better at Maths than him, despite his overly rebellious attitude or pleased that he'd surpassed Gilbert in _something_.

"I'll e-mail Kiku, then, and he'll arrange something with you," Miss Ronan's shoulders relaxed – he wondered what would have happened had he said 'no'.

"Seeing as we've managed to get something settled," Bentberne looked pleased. "You'll have a chance of improving your grades."

"That's good," his mum said. "Thank you very much for all of this. We appreciate it a lot."

Bentberne stood and shook his mum's hand, as did Miss Ronan. Alfred felt like they'd signed a contract with his life pinned to it. He was moaning out of frustration inside, but he kept a straight face on the surface. If he put his hands in his pockets, he could hide they were sweating and slightly shaking. If he put on a perpetually bored expression he could hide his annoyance. If he leant to one side, he didn't look like he was hunched and walking to his own funeral. He followed his mum out of the office and back to her car. Before he took his seat in the front, he inhaled deeply, savouring the fresh air.

Once he strapped himself in, his mum turned to him. "I can't _believe_ you sent Matthew to your clinics, eh?"

"I know, but I really hated going," he sunk low in his chair.

"Oh, well, that's _hardly_ an excuse," she shook her head in disappointment as she started the car.

He glowered at his mother, wondering how, whatever he did, it somehow ended up in disappointment. One minute she was praising the ground he walked on, the next he was one step away from being exiled from the house. Sometimes, it felt like he couldn't do anything right…

"It's the truth, though," he answered bitterly, and that resulted in a silent and awkward drive home.

* * *

 **A/N:** _I'm sorry! It started on such a serious note! If you have anything to comment, please! Leave a review! I love to read what people say about what I've written, and it means a lot, even if it's just the odd comment! Thank you so much for patiently waiting for this to arrive, and until next time!_


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** _Hello, everyone! I know it's a little late, but I'm finally here with the next chapter of Gakutalia! I've been a little sickly (as usual? I think I need to start sleeping more, to be honest...) so it's been a little delayed. But it's here now, and I'm glad to have written it. Thank you for your patience!_

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

* * *

 **K.H.**

His boots crunched lightly in the snow as he made his way along the street to Alfred's house. After he'd received an e-mail from Miss Ronan entailing details about him personally tutoring Alfred in Maths, he'd gotten in touch with the other student. Alfred had been relatively quick to reply, throwing out his address and saying Kiku could drop by any time. Although slightly unimpressed by a carefree attitude towards his own calendar, Kiku arranged an official date and Alfred had accepted without hesitation.

That was how, on a fresh late December afternoon, Kiku found himself walking to Alfred's house. Upon closer inspection of the given address, Kiku had been quick to realise he didn't live too far from Alfred's house. It was within walking distance, which meant he didn't have to risk the weather on his bike. He was always willing to have a breath of fresh air when the opportunity arose.

Kiku rarely spoke to Alfred at school. Beforehand, he had merely viewed him as the loud character of the class, very opinionated, a little overwhelming if not generally sociable. He was aware Ludwig wasn't especially fond of him, so he could only ponder the reason behind that. When he'd discovered Alfred was having issues concerning his education, Kiku had been _more_ than happy to help. He was hardly going to allow a fellow student drown in the waves of difficult studies, and since he was safely assured in his own abilities, Kiku was positive he could help Alfred improve.

The Jones family maintained their house's appearance. Their house was compact and modern, photogenic to a certain degree, aside from the one shrub that had overgrown and hid a corner of the window. The driveway was shovelled to perfection, leaving a snow-free spot where the car could sit content – however, there was no car present. For a moment, Kiku worried that Alfred had forgotten about their Maths session, but decided to trust that the other student's parents had merely gone out without him.

Taking a deep breath, he walked up to the front door and lightly knocked. He stood for a moment. There was silence on the other side. Kiku already confirmed that Alfred did not have a dog, and if he did, it wasn't one that guarded the door. Noticing the doorbell, he rung it and waited, blowing on his hands to keep them warm, then shoving them in the pockets of his coat.

Snow fell in light flakes all around him. Nobody answered the door, and the house remained silent, the feeling of isolation and abandonment radiating from it. To be safe, Kiku rang the doorbell once more, but was met with no answer. With a sigh, he had to simply accept that Alfred had forgotten they were having a session. It wasn't like he'd had to walk far. Besides, fresh air and a good walk were hardly going to harm him. The walk back wasn't going to be taxing.

Kiku stepped away from the door and walked down the drive. The wind was blowing, whispering disappointment in his ears and ruffling his hair. He pulled his coat hood up and pressed it to either side of his head, muffling all sound but blessing him with wonderful warmth. Kiku smiled to himself; his home was also warm and waiting for him.

"Kiku!" someone shouted from behind and he turned to see Alfred running down the street.

Alfred tried to stop, but the momentum of going slightly downhill, as well as the icy pathway underneath his boots, had him slide harshly into Kiku, knocking the air out of his lungs for a moment. Kiku hastily steadied his fellow student, then awkwardly stepped away, feeling embarrassed about the extreme physical contact. He never let many people touch him, not even his close friends.

"Sorry, dude," Alfred looked bashful. "Didn't mean to do that. I tried calling your name from the window when I saw you walking off, but I don't think you heard me?"

"Probably not," Kiku said, wondering why he'd ignore Alfred when he went to effort of coming in the first place.

"Anyway, I didn't hear the doorbell at first because I was asleep, then I remembered you were coming over," the two of them walked back to Alfred's house. "So, I rushed out of bed and came right after you!"

"Oh," Kiku realised Alfred was only wearing his boxers and a T-shirt, alongside the boots he'd thrown on in pursuit.

"Well, anyway, you're here now and we can do some… Math," Alfred pushed on the front door, which was closed and didn't budge. "You might know this, but I'm not that great at Math."

Kiku watched him shove the door again, but the cruel fate of existence had decided to allow the door to get blown shut by the heavy gusts of wind circulating around them.

"Um… I don't have a key," Alfred admitted awkwardly.

"Ah," Kiku glanced at the door, and then back at Alfred, cold in his pyjamas.

"I might have a way of getting in though," Kiku watched his fellow student take several steps back to assess the house. "A-ha! Would you look at that? I was right."

Kiku joined Alfred on his drive and raised his head to where Alfred was pointing. A window was left wide open, the curtains inside blowing about. However, the window was on the second floor, and they had no means of getting safely up there. Unless they used the tree.

"If you stand on my shoulders, you'll be able to reach the window and climb inside," Alfred said thoughtfully.

"W-what?" Kiku glanced at him, alarmed.

"Then you can come downstairs and open the door from the inside," Alfred beamed at him.

"That's not safe," Kiku shook his head.

"C'mon; it'll be fine," Alfred grinned. "I'm sure I can take your weight – you're a little guy; just stand on my shoulders and pull yourself inside."

"I've never robbed a house before," Kiku explained.

"Um… neither have I," Alfred frowned, and Kiku realised he'd made the situation awkward. "I just… know how to get up there."

"Ah, I see," Kiku glanced towards the window. "I still don't think it's safe, though."

"I promise not to drop you," Alfred insisted.

"Didn't you fracture your ribs less than a month ago?" Kiku glanced at him as he approached.

Alfred puffed his cheeks for a moment, then his arms dropped to his sides. "Yes."

"Perhaps, then, carrying human weight on your shoulders isn't the strain your body needs right now?" Kiku suggested. "However, I understand that you want to get out of the cold."

"Yeah," he could see Alfred visibly shivering from the weather.

"There's no one inside that can open the door?" Kiku needed to check.

"No," Alfred sighed. "Matt went out with mum and dad to do some shopping for a New Year's celebration."

"I see," Kiku said. "Come round mine, then. There's no need to wait for them to return."

"Really, dude?" Alfred blinked.

"My house is within walking distance," Kiku gestured down the street. "About ten minutes, actually, from your place."

Alfred gestured to himself with a shaky smile. "Won't I get arrested like this?"

Kiku shrugged off his coat and held it out for Alfred. "Wear this. I know it's not your size, but at least it'll cover you a bit more…"

"This is really embarrassing, you know," Alfred put the coat on, then frowned to see he couldn't zip it up.

"I can imagine," Kiku began walking, his warmth taken from him and his body exposed to the cold.

The pair of them walked down the streets. Fortunately, the snow meant there were very few people outside, other than the odd family walking along with their children, who didn't notice Alfred was in his boxers from across the road. The walk wasn't long, so they arrived at Kiku's house relatively quickly.

Kiku was more prepared than Alfred. "My keys should be in the coat pocket?"

Alfred rummaged around, then handed them to him wordlessly. Kiku fit the key to the lock and pushed open the door, stepping into the warm house as he did. Pochi came rushing up to the door, eager to greet him upon his return home.

"Oh my God that dog is adorable," Alfred ruffled a surprised Pochi's fluffy body. "What's his name?"

"Pochi," Kiku closed the door behind him and pulled off his boots.

"Hello, Pochi," Alfred said in that patronising tone most humans take towards animals.

It was then that Kiku's mother wandered out of the kitchen wearing a baffled expression. "Are you back already, Kiku? What about that Maths-"

She paused on the spot to see Alfred in his sleepwear, cuddling the dog. Kiku watched the joyous look on his fellow student's face melt into one of horror.

"He locked himself out of the house," Kiku explained. "So, we came here instead."

His mother nodded, then turned and left swiftly, remaining in the kitchen and not coming back. If she'd been about to ask him something, Kiku was fairly sure that, with Alfred on the scene, his mother wouldn't come anywhere near him. He turned to see a red faced Alfred rubbing his temples as he rose to his feet.

"Don't worry about it," Kiku said. "She won't remember you."

"Every time she sees my face, she'll think 'it's that kid who locked himself out in his boxers'," he groaned.

"I've had friends round to stay in the past," Kiku lied. "She was probably just surprised to see you there."

"In my boxers," Alfred replied miserably, but he looked a little more relieved than before.

"For which case, we should probably get along with this Maths work," he changed the subject. "You probably don't have any of your stuff with you, but we can work off from the basics."

He turned to see both Alfred _and_ Pochi giving him dull stares.

"What?" he asked.

"Sorry, dude, but after this morning, I would rather hang outside my house in my boxers rather than do Maths," Alfred said.

"I know what you mean," Kiku admitted and watched the genuine surprise cross over Alfred's face. "I'm a _student_ , you know. I would feel exactly the same if something like that happened to me."

"Oh, yeah, right," Alfred rubbed the back of his head.

"Teaching you Maths doesn't make me automatically unable to understand the concept of being a teenager," Kiku said blankly. "Do you play video games?"

" _Hell_ yes," Alfred grinned.

"Think of this as a meet and greet, then," Kiku took his coat from Alfred and hung it up.

"Sorry to bother, but are your parents aware that you're here?" Kiku's mother peered round the door.

Alfred tried not to look too horrified. "U-um, n-no."

"OK, because I'm going shopping," that part was to Kiku. "I can post something through the door."

"That would be good," Kiku scrawled their address and then the reason Alfred was there. "If you put that through, then they won't need to worry."

"Wow, thanks," Alfred blinked, and watched Mrs Honda leave. "So…"

"The console's in my room," Kiku headed through the house – he didn't have an upstairs floor.

"That's awesome, bro," Alfred followed him. "My parents would never let me have a gaming system in my room."

"A responsible teenager holds the cards," Kiku chuckled as they walked into his room. "A responsible act works just as fine."

"Dude," Alfred crashed out on the beanie bags beside him. "This is awesome."

 **I.B.**

"Not answering," he lowered the phone with a sigh. "I don't know where the fuck he is."

"His window's open?" Francis pointed upwards and they all stepped back to take a look.

"I reckon he's gone out," Arthur tutted.

"But he said…" Ivan frowned.

"He _forgot_ , Ivan," Yao rolled his eyes. "Alfred's like that. I say we just leave without him…"

"I just thought…" Ivan folded his arms.

"It's your eighteenth, mate," Arthur patted his back as he walked along. "Come on – let's go enjoy it."

"OK," he frowned, following his friends.

"You can have a good time without Alfred, you know," Francis chuckled.

"Yeah," Ivan sighed.

"He's an asshole; why haven't you realised that by now?" Yao said. "Whatever he's doing, he probably _still_ has yet to remember it's your birthday."

"Just do something petty, like forget his on purpose," Arthur suggested. " _That_ usually teaches him a lesson."

Ivan plastered a smile on his face. "Sure thing."

How was it that Alfred had gone all out for Yao's birthday, but had completely forgotten that, today, Ivan turned eighteen? After all he'd done for Alfred during the Talent Show, the lack of gratitude weighed heavy on his heart. He trudged through the snow after his friends, hating the weather and resenting Alfred.

* * *

 **A/N:** _I'm sorry- it's still so serious! Thank you for your patience!_


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N:** _You know you write too much FanFiction when you log on with the conviction and full intention of posting the next chapter of 'The Musical Massacre'. Yeah, that ended XOs: it's time to move on. It really made me wonder though... Am I still in the somewhat dark humoured mindset of Investigasians? I really have to question whether a previous Fic can influence the direction a current one takes..._

 _Anyway, I'm currently typing with one hand because I'm trying to turn up the heating in my room. It has this weird 'Heater Boost' button on the wall- it's like a light switch- and you have to hold it down to get some heat from the radiator. It's been getting progressively colder here now that February is on its way, and I'm not sure how to feel about that now that I'm no longer in the comforts of my warm home... Not only that, but I'm further north, and it's colder here. It just is. According to Google, it's 4 degrees (C) here... I know there's colder places in the planet, but seriously: I feel like my fingers are about to freeze off. And I have badminton later... I have to walk 25 minutes in the cold just to get to the gym... If you feel like it, just drop a mention/complaint about how cold it is where you are in a review, because if there's one thing British people like to hear about, it's the weather. I'm not even joking._

 _Hope you all had a good week, and without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

* * *

 **L.B.**

The New Year's festival at the mall was the perfect place to go for a calm day out with friends. Fel had brought both him and Kiku to take a look around. Ludwig wasn't much of a shopper, but Fel had told him it would be stalls selling interesting items that may or may not catch his attention. It was moderately cold, and the festival had opted to have the market stalls outside. They were lined up in an array of colours, with other people bustling around, buying things, browsing or even just wandering and chatting with their friends and family. The Christmas fever had certainly died down, but Ludwig couldn't deny the sense of unity and care that remained in the air. Fel seemed to sense it too, because he seemed unusually happy, even by his standards.

The three of them paused by a marshmallow kebab stall where a few people had milled around, eager to get a bite.

"Oh, those look good," Fel smiled dreamily, and Ludwig couldn't help but agree.

In the end, they all got one. Ludwig opted for a simple chocolate coated kebab with sprinkles lined along the top. It was delicious. The marshmallows had been slightly cooked, giving them a little crunch and the chocolate was warm and rich in his mouth. By the looks on Fel and Kiku's faces, Ludwig could only guess they, too, were enjoying their marshmallow treats.

After a good, ten minutes of straight walking, the three of them stumbled across the fountain that was always there. It was a large, three tiered beauty with water spilling from the top and running down the sides.

"Hey," Fel turned to them both, half-eaten marshmallow kebab in hand. "We should make a wish, or a New Year's Resolution."

"How about New Year's Resolution, just so we can tell each other what we want?" Kiku suggested with a smile. "Besides, I have the perfect one in mind…"

Ludwig watched him approach the fountain and pull a glinting coin from his pocket. Kiku flipped it with a graceful arch and it landed with a small splash, drifting down to the bottom to join hundreds of other coins that had been thrown in over the ages.

"What's your Resolution?" Ludwig asked curiously, hoping silently Kiku aimed to cut down on his salt consumption.

"I intend to help Alfred reach an A grade in Maths," Kiku replied.

"What?" Ludwig frowned. "You're helping _him_?"

"He was in quite a difficult position," Kiku explained. "Miss Ronan asked me specifically to help him out and since she offered extra credit, I thought… why not, really? Besides, I'm always happy to help a fellow student."

"He hates Maths," Ludwig answered. "How are you going to keep him in line and make sure it's him doing the work and not his brother?"

"I don't know," Kiku admitted. "I think I'll be able to manage. Of course, I'll get him to hand-write everything and request Matthew not intervene. I'll even get a sample of Matthew's handwriting if it helps."

"You've thought this out, then?" Ludwig said.

"Alfred has less of an attention span than _I_ do," Fel grimaced. "You should've seen him at Lovino's last month. He said he wouldn't drink, and then the next thing you know, he's changed his mind with a beer in his hand and considering the next one."

"This won't be easy, I hope you realise…" Ludwig warned Kiku.

"We actually had the first lesson a couple of days ago…" Kiku murmured, gazing into the fountain.

"How did that go?" Fel asked.

"He locked himself out the house in his pyjamas," Kiku sighed. "His books were in his house and his family out, so we just used it as a session to get to know one another."

"Let me guess," Ludwig chuckled. "You realised you'd made a mistake taking him on?"

"Not really," Kiku replied. "He was apologetic about it all and seemed genuine. I think he's a little forgetful and acts before he thinks, but he was perfectly nice. Well-meaning."

"I think you'll get tired of him eventually," Ludwig folded his arms, looking at their shaking reflections in the fountain. "I just hope teaching him doesn't get in the way of your own education. I don't want you to fail _with_ him."

"Relax, Ludwig," Kiku answered, gently drifting his fingers through the water with the same peaceful expression on his face. "If I feel I myself am falling behind as a result, I will speak with Miss Ronan."

"Well… I think it's very nice of you to do this, Kiku," Fel beamed.

"Here's a prayer that you survive it," Ludwig chucked a coin into the water. "And as for my New Year's Resolution? Hmm… I'll say success in grades. I endeavour to apply my full effort in an attempt to not fall at the final hurdle."

He threw a second coin into the fountain.

"That's true," Kiku said. "We have our mock exams after half term, don't we?"

Ludwig nodded grimly. "I really hope it goes well for me."

"You did well last year, Ludwig," Fel smiled. "It'll be fine."

"I think we'll all be fine," Kiku agreed.

"Yeah," Fel beamed, his whole face lighting up. "I may have got Ds in most of my exams, but that's still a _pass_ ; and I'm riding on my current A in art to get me into a prestigious art academy. I might become a designer after that."

"A designer?" Kiku looked impressed. "Yes… that's a good aspiration… I'm… still not entirely sure what I want to do."

"Struggling between something?" Ludwig asked hesitantly.

"I love art and manga," Kiku sighed. "So, I really want to go into something like that… Yet at the same time, the risk of not doing well hangs over my head and I want my success rates to be high…"

"I'll say don't worry about it right now," Fel smiled warmly. "You'll only stress yourself out unnecessarily…"

"I know, but… I might go into electronics at the same time," Kiku shrugged. "I like computers and gaming, so I don't see why not?"

"I could design the games and you could compute them!" Fel grinned, earning a proper smile from Kiku for that.

"I'm definitely going to be an engineer," Ludwig said with determination. "I'm good at it, and I'm positive it can go well for me."

"I think you can do it," Kiku said.

Ludwig had dreamt of being an engineer for some time now. It was a passion he'd shared with his brother, Gilbert, when they were both little. He intended to pursue his childhood dream until the end.

"What about you, Fel?" Kiku asked. "What's your New Year's Resolution?"

"Oh, mine?" Fel smiled in thought, as he flipped a coin in, then pulled out a second one. "Well… I hope to get a girlfriend."

Ludwig watched the second coin sail through the air and landed with a harsh splash as it sunk to the bottom. He wondered what the wish attached to the first coin had been, but Fel didn't mention it, so he didn't ask.

"A girlfriend?" Ludwig frowned. "Surely you have a more important hope for this year?"

"Not really," Fel shrugged. "It's nearly Valentine's Day, so I want to spend my day with a pretty girl or something…"

"Fel, your New Year's Resolution only applies for the first two months, then," Ludwig pinched the bridge of his nose. "Flip another coin and-"

"Wait, hear me out," Fel waved his hands in their faces, his expression genuine and serious. "Just because I want a girlfriend by the time it's Valentine's doesn't mean I don't want her afterwards. I want a stable, long-term relationship."

Ludwig had always thought of Fel as the kind of guy to dip in between relationships, but he didn't question that. It seemed his friend was set on finding The One at such a young age.

Fel looked back into the water. "Besides, it would be nice to just have someone to rely on for some proper, physical company…"

"Well, I suppose so…" Ludwig still believed Fel had wasted his Resolution.

"I think it's nice you want someone," Kiku replied with a small smile.

"What about you two?" Fel frowned. "You're not interested in getting girlfriends?"

"Not really," Ludwig admitted. "I have more on my plate at the moment."

"What if you meet a girl you really like, though?" Fel seemed astonished.

"If something happens, it happens, right?" Ludwig looked at his own reflection in the water, wearing his usual deep frown. "If I like someone, and they happen to like me back, who am I to tell them not to be in my life?"

"And you, Kiku?" Fel leaned forward to look at their friend.

"Ah, well… no, not really," Kiku shrugged. "I think I'm in the same boat as Ludwig. However, I might just wait until university."

"If you met a girl you liked you'd turn her down for uni?" Fel pulled a face. "Are you even human, Kiku? You like Maths over girls?"

"If she loves me as much as I would love her, wouldn't she be willing to wait a few months?" Kiku offered them a comforting smile. "I think that's what love is about. Finding someone who can accept your needs and fit to them if they need to. Love is about improvisation."

"How did this become a conversation about what love is?" Ludwig groaned. "This is the first day of the year. I don't think I'm quite ready to get philosophical yet…"

"That's OK," Fel blew out a breath. "Neither am I. I just see love as liking someone who happens to like you."

"Same," Ludwig nodded towards him.

"Perhaps I overthink these things, then?" Kiku chuckled. "OK, then. But seriously, if I meet a girl and she likes me, I think I would ask her to wait just a little bit longer."

"You'll regret saying that," Fel said. "You've never even held a girl's hand before, have you Kiku? Mothers and grandmas don't count!"

"No," Kiku said slowly.

"I think, when you fall in love, it'll swallow you up," Fel teased. "You won't know what's hit you or how to deal with it."

"You'll be in exactly the same boat," Ludwig warned him. "You've never had a girlfriend or kissed a girl either, Fel."

"Maybe, but then, I guess we're all in the same ship!" he laughed. "When one of us gets a girlfriend, we need to stick up for each other. We need to provide advice, but also remember that we're in this life together. Got it, guys?"

He still wore the same serious expression. Ludwig sighed, and then shrugged.

"Of course," he said. "Don't let love get in the way of friendship."

"I completely agree," Kiku said adamantly.

"I really hope it all goes well for the three of us," Fel looked determined. "We've been through so much that I think we deserve it."

"I don't think I've experienced _that_ much, but thank you," Kiku said humbly.

Ludwig thought about his mother in Heaven and wondered if she would be proud of him. Then he realised that, from memories of his mother, that she most certainly would be. She'd be proud of the three of them. She'd even be grudgingly proud of Gilbert.

He finished off his marshmallow kebab and turned to Fel. "Where should we go now?"

"Oh, are our Resolutions done?" Fel glanced around the group, then smiled. "I'll make a quick Resolution _for_ Lovino, because I know he won't make one himself."

"Is that not another wish?" Ludwig asked and his friend glanced at him.

He wondered, momentarily, if he'd said too much for noticing Fel's actions, but his Italian friend laughed and beamed as his third coin rippled in the fountain. "I guess so. I'll do it anyway. Lovino hopes to swear less this year."

"That'll never happen," Ludwig chuckled.

"Probably not," Fel said. "But at least we can hope?"

"I think that's what the New Year's about," Kiku nodded. "Hoping that the future goes how we want it to. But the thing about a Resolution is that you have to work to achieve it."

"I completely agree," Ludwig said. "So I'll put more into my grades."

"I'll try my absolute hardest to help Alfred," Kiku promised the fountain.

Fel's eyebrows rose on his forehead, and he puffed out his cheeks before gazing back into the fountain. "Guess I'd better start getting out more, then…"

* * *

 **A/N:** _My New Year's Resolution was to not eat sugary food unless it was a Sunday. I already failed in that, by the way, so I've settled for just watching what I eat and trying for a better diet in general. That's also failing, but I'm pretending it's going fine. Thank you for your patience. Feel free to leave a review, because I love replying to what people say!_

 _Also, writing this chapter has made me realise something: American and English variations are really noticeable when using an American website! I refuse to change my s's to z's, though. And did anyone else know that 'pyjamas' could be spelt 'pajamas'? And that just there. "Spelt". I suppose in America it's "spelled"?_


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N:** _Hello, I have returned with a new chapter of Gakutalia!_

 _Now, I gotta say something first... I had my first experience at this fast food chain called 'Five Guys' (a lot of you have probably heard of it, if not been) and I think it's really cool that they let you snack on peanuts whilst you wait for your food. I've never seen a place that does something like that before? So anyway, I decided I'd get some peanuts, just to get the feel of the place, and it occurred to me that I've never actually eaten a peanut as it is. I mean, I've had them in Snickers bars before, and also peanut sauce with my chicken satay, but never alone. I recalled seeing cartoon characters toss them in their mouths and eat them as they are, so it seemed perfectly logical to cram the entire thing in my mouth: shell and all. Apparently, that isn't the done thing. Apparently, when I asked her later, my sister told me that cartoon characters spit the shells out- but I never remembered them doing that! My friends saw that I was eating the peanuts in a very... um,_ peculiar _... way. Luckily, they intervened, but I was asked "Didn't they taste bad?" and I was thinking "No, the shells tasted pretty good". Am I the only one with this opinion, or maybe I'm just the only one who's eaten the shell? So, if you're ever having a bad day, just remember: there are stupid people like XOs out there who eat peanuts with their shells..._

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

* * *

 **A.J.**

Alfred had taken the front seat once again. Matthew wasn't the most competitive of human beings, so lacked the will to fight for it. That meant, every day, when their mother drove them into school, he would be in the front seat, and Matthew in the back, and the return home would be a repeat. However, today was different, because Kiku travelled between school and home by bike, and he'd told Alfred to bring his for when they started their first official Math session.

"Have a good day," their mother called after them brightly as they slipped out of the car. "And, Alfred, you're going home with Kiku later on?"

"Yeah," he mumbled, still embarrassed that he had to have tutoring, whilst Matthew was free to do what he liked.

He watched his mother drive off and turned to Matthew. "OK, Matt. Don't tell anyone that I'm having tutoring sessions with Kiku."

"What?" Matthew blinked, surprised. "Why?"

"Because it's _embarrassing_ ," he replied pointedly. "I don't intend to let _anyone_ know my Math grades have dropped so much I need help from my fellow students."

"OK, then," Matthew shrugged. "Your call, eh?"

"You can't even tell Carlos," he warned.

"Fine, fine," Matthew held up his hands. "I'm not telling anyone, Al, OK?"

"Yeah, good," Alfred adjusted his bag and turned towards the school gates. "Now to go in just as normal."

 **F.V.**

He was in that world in between sleeping and being awake. He was aware of the cold air that touched the skin left bare by his blankets, but there was also the perpetual warmth of not being completely, eyes-wide-open awake. It was the blankets, the way they cocooned and sheltered him, holding him like a mother's embrace. He snuggled deeper, enjoying this wonderful trance-like state.

"Hey, Fel," suddenly Lovino's voice was there, but he couldn't see his brother because his eyes were closed. "Fel?"

"Ve…" he sighed in reply, turning over in his luxurious nest.

"You know, you forgot to set your alarm," Lovino continued. "You're running a little late, but if you get up now, you can still make it in time."

"Nee, nee…" he mumbled in his sleep, thinking of pizza, pasta and pretty ladies.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, you little shit," suddenly there was a sharp pain in his head. "Get the fuck out of bed?"

He squirmed against his older brother's death grip in his hair. " _Ow_ , Lovino. Stop _that_!"

With a sigh, Lovino released him, and he flopped to the ground with a painful thud. "It was the only way to wake you up. Shaking you _never_ works."

"You didn't even try this time," he grumbled, sitting up. "I was only _half awake_ this time..."

"How was I supposed to know that?" Lovino threw up his hands in frustration. "Hey, did you even hear a word of what I said? You're late."

"Oh, crapola," Fel scrambled to his feet and grabbed his alarm clock. "What's wrong with this piece of…"

"You didn't set it, that's what," Lovino sighed. "Have a good first day of school. If you hurry, you won't miss your train."

Both brothers glanced at their watches. Ever since Ludwig had given Fel advice on how to stop missing his train by altering the watch's hands by at least five minutes, he had told his brother in an attempt to see his brother arrive to things on time or earlier as well. He'd set it so he could be ten minutes early.

"Hmm, OK," Fel said, as Lovino left the room, and quickly whipped himself into school attire, ready for the first day of his next school term.

It was the last year of school for him, and then he'd have to go into the real world. He was already one third through the year. His palms felt sweaty just thinking about it.

Fel swung his bag over his shoulder, halfway out the door, lifting a hand to Lovino as he left. His older brother waved nonchalantly in return before closing the door. Feliciano Vargas ran to the train station, determined to get there on time for once.

He paused on the platform and saw no train. Checking his watch, however, the train was due in a minute. He sat down, ready to tweet that he wasn't late, when the train didn't arrive in a minute. Confused, he glanced around the near empty platform. For some reason, all those who took the train to work weren't present either. But his watch said the train was due!

Puffing out his cheeks, he approached the services desk. "Um, excuse me?"

The employee lifted his head in acknowledgement.

"Um, hi, I was wondering if the eight o'clock train is late?" he asked.

"The _eight_ o'clock train?" he watched the employee's brow furrow. "Sir, that train left a _while_ back."

"Oh, but my watch says it's only eight just now?" Fel frowned.

The employee's eyes fell down on the watch face, with its steadily ticking hands. It was his only functioning timepiece and he intended to keep it that way. He didn't need this man telling him his watch was broken.

"I believe your watch is on the wrong time," the employee finally said.

"Oh?"

"Yeah…" the employee sounded hesitant. "You've set it ten minutes back. Which means you, err, missed your train ten minutes ago."

"Oh crap, so where's the ten past eight train?" Fel gawked, turning to see a train's doors closing behind him. "Ah."

The train whizzed away and he turned to see the unimpressed expression on the employee's face.

"Well," Fel swallowed awkwardly. "Thank you for your help."

"No problem," he turned back to his computer, Fel's existence only being a mere blip in his life.

With a sigh, Fel returned to his seat and texted Ludwig he was going to be super late. Not only had he missed the train he'd so desperately not wanted to miss, but now he'd missed the _late_ train. He would probably have to tell Lovino to change the hands on _his_ watch as well, thinking about it…

His friend would be so disappointed to see he'd set the watch's hands the _wrong way_.

 **A.K.**

"Have a good day at school," he spat out the generic phrase as usual, watching as Peter hurried off to hang out with his little friends.

He recalled that time when he didn't have to worry about anything; it was such a blissful existence being younger. Now he had the pressure to be successful in life, and this time, winning the game mattered. It was bleak that he had to think that way, but that's just how things were, and it seemed, from what every adult miserably told him, that life only got harder and harder.

Sighing, he wandered towards the school building, when a hand lightly tapped his shoulder. He turned, seeing Francis and frowned.

"Hello?"

"Bonjour, Arthur," his French friend chirped brightly. It seemed some people stored some kind of hidden energy for the first day of school. "I have a feeling _merde's_ gonna go down, today…"

"What?" Arthur grimaced. "Already? Why?"

"Um, _hello_?" Francis frowned. "Earth to Arthur, can you hear us? Alfred skipped out on Ivan's eighteenth?"

"Oh, crap, I remember now," Arthur ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, you're right. Shit is going to go down. What should we do? Stir the pot or leave it to boil?"

"I say leave it," Francis chuckled. "It's already bad enough without us interfering."

"Yet, at the same time, I can't help but interject petty little comments that make me feel like a better person," Arthur pondered. "OK, how about I rephrase my question? What is it we _should_ do, and what're we _actually_ going to do?"

"Ah, mon ami, when you phrase it like that," Francis smirked to himself. "I suppose I would say, we _should_ leave the pot to boil, but I have a feeling we won't be able to help ourselves stirring it _just a little_."

"It's in these few times that I can agree with you, frog," Arthur sniggered. "Have you spoken to Ivan since it happened? I haven't…"

"Neither," Francis frowned. "Well. I _tried_ , but he was doing everything within his power to be as unresponsive as he could. Things like one letter words to monosyllabic answers."

"They'll get over themselves," Arthur rolled his eyes. "How is that we're just _so much more_ mature than them, despite being the same age?"

"Are we _really_ that much mature?" Francis sneaked a glance towards Arthur. "I'm not sure about that."

"What's that supposed to bloody mean?" Arthur had no idea what the Frenchman was talking about.

"Listen to us, deciding to meddle with fate and other people," Francis laughed. " _A mon avis_ , that's not very mature."

"Spek English motherfuckeur," England glowered.

France's mouth momentarily puckered before he turned his head away. "Did you hear that we'll be getting our Buddies soon?"

"Buddies?" England glanced at him quizzically.

"Remember last year we were all paired with a bunch of extremely unenthusiastic Year Thirteens?" Francis said.

"Oh, I remember that," Arthur sighed. "Mine was an absolute bastard. He used to abandon me and let me fend for myself."

"Well, that's going to be _us_ now," Francis beamed. "I'm looking forward to being a Buddy, but not everyone is, so… I hope I am."

"I hope I'm not," Arthur huffed. "I couldn't give a rat's arse about babysitting some Year Twelve drag. I have better things to do."

"Don't be such a misery guts," Francis scolded. "This is your opportunity to bond with the year below. It's bad enough that you constantly ignore them as it is."

"And I shall continue to do exactly the same thing," Arthur muttered. "I already have a little brother to look after; I don't need a _Buddy_ to take up my free time."

"I'm sure your older brothers would've said exactly the same thing," Francis said.

"Bollocks to you and don't mention them," Arthur glowered. "They're off at university and _work_ now so I don't need to worry about _them_."

"Such a misery guts, as usual," Francis sighed. "Ah, well. I hope I get a Buddy, at least."

Arthur pushed open the doors and they wandered into the common room side by side. He noticed Yao and Ivan sitting, sprawled across the couches.

"Hey," Yao waved dramatically as they neared. "How was the rest of your holidays?"

"They were good," Arthur replied. "Mainly cramming any last minute work I hadn't done."

"You should've done it in the first week of your holidays, aru," Yao instructed. "Then you wouldn't have had to have worried about it."

"I wasn't particularly worried," Arthur shrugged, and sat down on the couch beside Ivan. "I thought I might as well _try_ and get everything done."

"Did you manage?" Ivan asked. He seemed normal- perfectly unaffected by the chaos Alfred had inflicted upon them.

"Of course," Arthur smiled smugly. "I always manage."

"We were just talking about Buddies," Francis said, sitting on Yao's other side.

"Buddies?" Yao frowned. "I think it would be quite nice to have a little Buddy. Someone I can boss around but also make them more like me."

"So, you want to manipulate whoever you get?" Ivan frowned.

"Pretty much, aru," Yao shrugged.

"I'm just worried they'll pair with my Natalya," Ivan shuddered. "That would be so embarrassing. She can be _so_ clingy."

"I think that's cute, though," Francis said. "Sometimes. Like, she obviously looks up to you, because she asked you for baking tips the other day."

Ivan sighed. "I still don't want her to be my Buddy."

"Actually, aru, I think they partner you with people you're not related to," Yao said.

"I can attest to that," Arthur said. "None of my older brothers were Buddies to one another."

"Thank God," Ivan sighed in relief. "When do we get these Buddies?"

"Hey, dudes," someone called from across the common room, and Arthur knew shit was going to go down.

He watched Ivan purse his lips, as Yao and Francis glanced over towards the fifth and final member of their friendship group.

"Look what the cat dragged in," Ivan said bitterly.

Alfred stopped in his tracks with a grin. "Whoa, dude. Is that the new 'Hey, Alfred', or something?"

"Of course it's not," Ivan stood and started walking. "Douche."

"Where are you going?" Francis asked him.

"I just remembered I had better places to be rather than anywhere near Alfred," Ivan shot another glower towards the American boy, whose smile had become strained at this stage.

Arthur watched him storm out of the common room with raised eyebrows. Perhaps there would be no pot stirring requirements of either him or Francis. It seemed things were bad enough as they were.

Alfred turned to the other three on the couches, wearing a look of disdain. "What's _his_ problem?"

They all knew what was wrong, but none of them wanted to be the one to break the news to Alfred.

"What?" he scowled. "What have I done? I haven't even _seen_ him since Lovino Vargas' party."

"I think that's the point, aru," Yao frowned, deciding to enlighten him. "You were supposed to see him."

"What?" Alfred glanced around them, clearly confused.

"Thirtieth December?" Arthur prompted, hoping he would take the hints.

"What?" Alfred repeated dumbly.

"Just go after him and ask him yourself," Francis sighed. "I just realised that I'm not in the mood for drama."

Alfred threw up his hands and left the room after Ivan.

"What a great way to start the year, aru," Yao sighed.

"If I had a drink, I would definitely make a toast," Arthur said. "As it happens, alcohol is prohibited on school grounds during a regular day, so instead I'll make myself some toast."

"Aren't you worried about Ivan and Alfred, aru?" Yao frowned.

"Not really," Arthur started heading towards the kitchen. "They'll resolve it."

* * *

 **A/N:** _Ah, it's so annoying... They test the fire alarm every Friday from 11-11:15 and it's just been ringing through my ears as I was writing this! Anyway, let me know what you guys think about this chapter! I love reading reviews, and I always make sure to leave a reply if I can! Thank you so much, and until next time!_


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N:** _Hey, all! I'm back with the next chapter of Gakutalia! Sorry I'm a little late; I've travelled home for half term/reading week so I didn't get the chance to post on Friday or Saturday due to packing or travelling. Anyway, the next chapter is here!_

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

* * *

 **A.J.**

Ivan didn't make himself easy to follow. Rather than retreat to some secluded classroom, he preferred to duck into the crowded hallways of younger students first arriving for the long-winded school day.

World Academy had a separate common room to one side of the school. This common room, on the outside, looked very similar to a Staff Room, and only allowed access to students in their penultimate and final years. Just beyond the common room was the sea of younger students, who crowded the corridors, gossiped noisily about matters that weren't even exciting. There were young teenage boys who tried to hit on girls older than them, and the Year Seven girls who had a strange occupation with ogling the boys from Year Thirteen and gushing excitedly about every word they said and action they did. Although every student had to endure those corridors for most of their student life, it was pure bliss to finally escape that fate.

He saw Ivan somehow manage to dodge past the younger years with the type of agility one wouldn't expect from a guy his build. Alfred managed to get caught in the middle of a bunch of giggling high schoolers. He pressed his arms to the sides and inched out of their throng, dashing lightly on his toes to keep up with his friend.

He wasn't sure what he'd done to have bothered Ivan so much, but the stiff set of his shoulders implied he was furious about something. Whatever it was, Alfred was determined to find out.

The pair of them reached the entrance doors at the front of the school, the gates just beyond them. That was where Alfred grabbed Ivan by the collar of his blazer and spun him round to face him. His Russian friend wore an expression of defiance mixed with anger and fatigue.

"What?" he asked exasperated. "I want to get away from you, and yet you follow me. I make it very clear that I don't like you right now, da? What do you want from me?"

"I want to know what I've done," Alfred snapped. "You can't just act like that without an explanation."

"Explanation should not be needed!" Ivan gawked. "You should've realised by now what you've done wrong. The fact that you haven't only makes this _worse_."

"I don't get it," Alfred said.

"Then don't dig the ditch any wider," Ivan turned to get away.

Alfred grabbed for his sleeve and jerked him back before he could saunter off. Without warning, Ivan gripped the lapels of his blazer and pulled him closer, so Alfred had to meet his gaze.

"Did you not just hear a word I said?" he growled. "If I say leave me alone, it means get the _fuck_ away from me."

By now, other students had begun to turn their heads towards the two Year Thirteens. Alfred grabbed onto Ivan's wrists and began to strain against him, wrestling his harsh hold on his collar. The fabric had begun to cut into his neck. Ivan suddenly pushed him away, sending him back a few steps. Alfred watched him whirl around and start walking away.

Alfred felt his blood boiling. He despised these times when Ivan expected him to be able to read minds. His inability to do so was only a disappointment for them both. It meant Ivan got mad and he became frustrated at his lack of awareness to what Ivan was thinking.

In a rage, he grabbed a red ink biro from the two desks that sat near the doors and hurled it towards Ivan. He watched the small plastic cylinder smack into Ivan's head and watched the Russian student stop dead in the middle of the corridor. A couple of young boys stepped back, glancing up at Ivan as they did so. He watched his "friend" take a deep breath then turn.

There was a dark expression on Ivan's face as his eyes dropped down onto the floor where the humble biro lay on the carpeted floor.

"What the Hell, man?" Alfred just shrugged. "You can't just do that. You can't just leave a half-said message then cryptically walk off."

Ivan picked up the pen and glanced at it in thought.

"Hey, I'm talking to you," Alfred glowered at him. "You gone mute all of a sudden?"

He watched as Ivan dropped the pen to the floor.

"It's this inconsiderate nature of yours that rubs me the wrong way," Ivan concluded. "You have a habit of forgetting you're not the only person on this planet, and it really pisses me off how you just pick up people and let them go."

"What if that's just the way I am?" Alfred shrugged nonchalantly as Ivan took a few steps closer, an expression of disbelief forming on his features. "I'm sorry, Ivan, but yes, I'm a little selfish. What if I can't actually help it?"

Ivan grabbed his shoulders and smashed his forehead against Alfred's face. There was a sharp pain in his nose as Ivan took a step back to offer a triumphant smirk, a flock of students gasping. Alfred passed a hand over his face and drew it away bloodied, before glaring back up at Ivan. He charged forwards and threw his full body weight into the other boy, sending them both crashing to the ground.

"What the fuck's wrong with you?" Alfred yelled.

"You're the one who has _shit_ for brains," Ivan snapped back. "Can't you take the hint when someone doesn't want you around? You're such an asshole."

Ivan threw him off and the two boys jumped to their feet, squaring one another. Alfred tried to think of all the combat games he'd played, and skittered forwards, throwing a punch that Ivan ducked away from with a wide eyed stare. His fist hit the wall behind the other student, leaving a throbbing pain in his hand. Ivan was behind him, bending one arm behind his back and shoving him painfully against the wall. Alfred jerked an arm back, catching Ivan straight in the stomach. The Russian student doubled over and staggered backwards with a grunt, where Alfred turned and grabbed him in a headlock.

"You need to stop being so freaking _cryptic_ dude," Alfred hissed. "It's so fucking annoying. Just _spit it out_ , Ivan. What the fuck have I done?"

Ivan reached round Alfred's back and threw him over his shoulder. Alfred only heard his own surprised gasp before his back hit the ground painfully. Obviously winded, he didn't move in time when Ivan knelt over him and shook him by the shoulders once.

"I shouldn't _have_ to tell you because the reason is just so obvious?" Ivan said through gritted teeth, and shook him again.

Alfred wedged a knee in between himself and Ivan, pushing them apart and leaping to his feet.

"Admit you're in the wrong for once," Ivan shouted.

" _What did I even do_?" Alfred was almost screaming at the top of his lungs, but he also hated how Ivan was completely owning him. Where his friend had learnt to fight mystified him.

Students had stopped to watch the commotion. There were mutterings, and the agitated shouts of a teacher in the distance. However, Alfred was in the zone. He was solely focused on the boy who stood across from him.

"Why don't you ever see when you've made a mistake?" Ivan called out desperately. "Why can't you just stop and _think_ rather than _attack_ me?"

"All you have to do is _tell_ me what's wrong," Alfred threw his hands up in despair.

"I shouldn't have to _tell_ you," Ivan said. "What the Hell? How can I talk to someone so oblivious?"

"Fine, then," Alfred snapped. "Just walk off. It's not like I gave a fuck anyway."

It was like he'd flipped a switch in Ivan's head. The other boy's jaw went momentarily slack before he swung a fist and caught Alfred round the face. There was a raw pain, but the adrenaline still surged power through his arms. The next thing he knew, he'd caught Ivan by surprise and knocked his head against the corner of the table with a painfully loud crack.

"You bastard!" Ivan growled, leaping to his feet and grappling with Alfred.

There was a collective gasp from the student audience as Alfred lost control of the situation he'd started. He was pushing against Ivan, and that wasn't easy, because his friend was _pretty strong_. His arm was bent back at a painful angle, his muscles were straining, and his back still ached from being momentarily winded.

"You're such a fucking bastard!" Ivan pushed away Alfred's arms and returned his original grip to his lapels. "You don't understand. You just _don't_ understand."

"I don't _want_ to," Alfred retorted bitterly.

"You're an asshole," Ivan continued. "An inconsiderate, bastard asshole. Why am I friends with you?"

"Because you had _no one_ else!"

Next thing Alfred knew, Ivan pushed him over the tables. His neck bent against the floor and he felt a stab of pain on his tongue where his teeth clamped shut. His eyes watered, and it didn't help when Ivan kicked the table over where it landed in his gut.

"Fuck…" Alfred wheezed, just as Mr Saunders finally made his way through the crowd and restrained a livid Ivan.

"Boys, boys, get away from each other," their teacher grumbled. "What do you think you are? Students or animals? _Get back_ , Mr Braginsky."

Ivan's body relaxed and he let Mr Saunders pull him away from the table as Mr Tyler dropped beside Alfred.

"Alfred?" his former Math teacher asked. "Alfred, can you hear me?"

"I hear you fine," Alfred shot to his feet and clambered over the desks, where Ivan suddenly set himself into a fighting stance.

The two male teachers on the scene struggled to restrain their students just as Miss Ronan appeared and stood in between them.

"What's going on?" she demanded.

"He started it," Alfred yelled. "With his bullshit."

"You mean _your_ bullshit attitude," Ivan snapped back.

"You really are _full of shit_ , Braginsky," Alfred leant away, but Mr Tyler kept a hold on his arms. "Here's some advice: get the fuck over yourself."

Ivan broke free of Mr Saunders and rushed forward, when another student joined Miss Ronan in the middle and held him back. Both boys stared at one another, chests rising and falling as they sized the other up. Alfred knew he looked pretty run down, but there was already a huge bruise forming on Ivan's temple where the desk had made contact, as well as a black eye Alfred didn't recall giving.

"Calm down," Miss Ronan instructed.

"Yeah, Ivan," Alfred recognised the student as Ivan's younger sister, Natalya. "Just stop."

"It's not just me," Ivan took a step back, just as the clicking of heels could be heard approaching.

"You started it," Alfred repeated.

"I don't care," a voice that belonged to Mrs Ivy sounded along the corridor. "I expect to see the pair of you at _my_ office once you've taken a visit to the medical centre, and we can discuss what happened once we're there. For now, you need sorting out."

"I did _nothing_ wrong," Alfred protested. "He _started_ it."

"I didn't, actually," Ivan scowled. "And you're doing it again. You can't admit to your mistakes. It seems you can't take feedback."

"I'm not going to change who I am for someone like _you_ ," Alfred spat.

"Someone like me, huh?" Ivan said. "Well, you're the one still being held back, so I think that says something about us, da?"

"Mr Braginsky," Mrs Ivy warned.

"Sorry," he muttered, then cast another glance at Alfred. "By the way, I think you should start some improvements by getting a calendar so you know when you have things on. It wouldn't been quite nice to have had you there at my eighteenth, but I suppose that was just wishful thinking and asking for too much, da?"

Alfred's brain clicked. The thirtieth of December. They had tried to warn him, Yao, Arthur and Francis, but the meanings had flown beyond his head. He silently cursed himself.

"Dude, I…" the words suddenly wouldn't come to his mouth. "Geez. Dude, I'm sorry."

"It's too late, Alfred," Ivan waved a hand and started pushing his way through the crowd of bug eyed students in the direction of Mrs Ivy's office. "It's too late."

He swallowed, just as Mr Tyler let him go and took a wide step back.

"Come on, Mr Jones," Mrs Ivy motioned for him to move.

With an agitated sigh, he walked past her and inspected his glasses as he did so. One of the lenses popped out and the frame had cracked. He would need a new pair. He shoved them in his pocket and raised his eyes to the back of Ivan's head.

It wasn't anger that Alfred felt anymore.

It was guilt.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Just, uh... going to leave it there. Until next time! xx_


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N:** _I'm so sorry for such a late post, but I've had such a busy week! It's not even work, it's just that there's all kinds of events happening around me.  
The first one is this: I've been told to write a 500 word essay on my hobby. I really had to mull this one over, since my hobbies are running dry nowadays. That's when it occurred to me; my hobby is basically Hetalia. So... in other words, I'm writing a 500 word essay on Hetalia, using references and everything. University is honestly the most random and greatest of places I've ever encountered.  
Second news is this: I had my hair dyed platinum blonde. If you want an idea of the colour, then my inspiration was the YouTuber and music artist 'That Poppy'. I know she can be... odd, perhaps? But I really like her music and I think she always looks so nice with her lovely hair colour. Anyway, the entire process took 6 hours! It was exciting for me, since I've never had my hair coloured before. It makes my eyebrows look darker, so... worth it! I had to buy all these 'Touch of Silver' hair products today, so I'm looking forwards to those!  
Third news: Unfortunately, in my local area, a man was found in the lake nearby... It's very saddening, particularly as he went missing a month ago. My best condolences to his friends and family.  
Fourth news: Vic Micnogna (is that how it's spelt?) will be attending a Comic Con. He's the voice actor for Greece. I'm currently trying to perfect my Nyo!England cosplay, and that's all the news from me!_

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

* * *

 **I.B.**

Mrs Ivy was head of the Sixth Form, watching perilously over Years Twelve and Thirteen. She took her position of authority extremely seriously, going as far as to monitor the daily lives of the students, particularly the elder group, who themselves were expected to act sensibly. She could be ruthless, and her cause was towards the benefit of the majority. If there was something she believed in, then she would make sure her point was set across once and more times if she needed to. Never once had she backed down to a student. Never once had a student confronted her, and Ivan most certainly didn't want to be the first.

He didn't hang his head. If he was going to Mrs Ivy's office, it would be with what little dignity he had remaining. He wouldn't go down appearing defeated, but instead victorious. It was, after all, Alfred with the nosebleed rather than him. At least he could smile about that…

Ivan arrived first in the office and seated himself in one of the guest chairs she had available to anyone who paid a visit or had an important meeting with her. There was no denying fate. He had been caught breaking the rules and would pay the price for doing so. Alfred slumped into the chair beside him, but neither looked at one another. Ivan still felt tense. Alfred genuinely hadn't known it was his birthday. He couldn't help but feel aggravated that his so-called "friend" could be completely oblivious.

Mrs Ivy closed the door behind her, drowning out the world outside, and sat down in her office chair, facing the two Year Thirteen students.

The first thing she did was offer Alfred a thick wad of tissues, which he gratefully pressed to his nose.

"Well, I don't know why the pair of you don't look ashamed," she shrugged. "This is a prestigious school – I would never expect to see two of our students… _brawling_ , we'll say… in front of everybody, on school grounds."

Ivan said nothing, and Alfred remained silent beside him.

"I hope you both understand this is a breach of the school rules," she continued. "And should therefore be faced with appropriate discipline."

"Yes, Mrs Ivy," the two boys muttered, still not looking at one another.

"This is, of course, in the form of detention under my watch," she said. "As well as a trip to Mrs Bentberne's office. Not only that, but I'll apply you both for sessions with Mrs Kelly."

"Wait, _what_?" Alfred sat upright. "Why do we need counselling?"

"To meet the cause of your anger," Mrs Ivy replied calmly.

"For me, that's quite obviously Alfred," Ivan remained relaxed in his chair, fiddling with his watch.

"I mean a deeper cause," Mrs Ivy seemed to note down their separate reactions – that was probably something she intended to send to Mrs Kelly. "Agitation and violent behaviour aren't something I would expect from you two. Stress and problems are two factors that must be accounted for; Mrs Kelly is, of course, an expert when dealing with teenage boys such as yourself, and I can guarantee that she can sort through your individual needs. Yes, sessions with her are a must."

Alfred's jaw tensed and he slumped in his chair, folding his arms and turning his head pointedly away from Ivan.

"I should write you off the Buddy list, in all honesty," Mrs Ivy sighed.

"Wait, I was going to get a _Buddy_?" Alfred looked momentarily distraught. "You can't change that now. It's too late."

"It's never too late to make rearrangements," she replied. "However, the number of trustworthy students applicable for Buddies in your year was surprisingly limited. Not only that, but it would be _difficult_ to make rearrangements. So, instead, you are to be expected to act as a true role model for your Buddy and to guide them through the Year Twelve experience. If either of you fails to do so, there will be consequences, and it may make future opportunities within this academy less accessible to you. Before you say anything, that's bad. Very bad. Because then you can't put as much into the statements that will dictate your future."

Ivan kept his mouth shut, deeming that to be the most sensible of decisions in this situation. Not only did he face a detention and a trip to Mrs Bentberne's office, Alfred had also landed him with counselling sessions and a warning concerning his behaviour with his Buddy. That was all he needed.

"Do you two understand what was so wrong with your actions?" Mrs Ivy asked.

"It's unsophisticated," Ivan answered automatically.

"Yes," she nodded. "Anything you'd like to add to that, Alfred?"

"Behaviour that is not up to standard is noted by younger students," he mumbled. "Therefore, our influence over them has a negative impact opposed to a positive one, which reflects badly on both us and the students we influence."

"Yes," she sighed. "So… why? What made you two think it was a good idea to fight in the middle of the school corridors?"

Ivan shifted in his seat and dared a glance at Alfred. Things became awkward, because Alfred had seemed to have had the same idea. Their eyes met, only for them to instantly retract their gazes to different areas in the office. Naturally, Mrs Ivy noticed this behaviour.

"I think it would also help if the pair of you talked things through," she nodded. "I'll have Mrs Kelly arrange a shared session for the two of you to patch things over."

"We don't need that," Ivan said flatly. "If I wanted to patch things up, I wouldn't have allowed myself to be roped into the fight."

"Mr Braginsky-"

" _Mrs Ivy_ ," he leant forwards slightly in his seat, his agitation building. "Please do not misunderstand my words as childish – I would hate for that to happen. This 'argument' between myself and Alfred has actually dated back beyond this day, and even beyond the holidays. It is true – we have our moments of arguments. But I can happily say I am finished with that and would like to move on with my life, rather than wait for an apology that has not happened in nearly four years."

"I have _nothing_ to apologise for, dude," Alfred glowered at him.

"Mr Jones, Mr Braginsky, I don't want this fight to continue," Mrs Ivy warned.

"I will have my detention, I will even have my sessions," Ivan shrugged. "But I will _not_ be forced into a room with Alfred for the purpose of patching up a punctured float. That's not my style, da?"

She pursed her lips and drummed her fingers on the table. "I think the most sensible-"

"The sensible option is to keep us apart," Ivan explained, as a pale Alfred turned his head slowly to look at him. "It is difficult to face the danger fire and gas mixing opposes, but merely foolish to repeat it. I personally pride myself in common sense… Therefore, I will not allow you to dictate who I do and don't talk to. If myself and Alfred feel we would be better suited talking to one another, surely we would not be here right now, da?"

"I see," Mrs Ivy shook her head sadly. "Then I can't interfere…"

Alfred said nothing. Ivan couldn't help but feel a little pained that he didn't even attempt to beg for forgiveness or a mended friendship. It was like trying to scale a flat wall. Ivan soon realised he wouldn't be getting anywhere.

"Off you go, then," she sighed. "You need to meet your Buddies. Today, you'll be spending the day with them."

Ivan stood and walked to the door. Alfred had done the same thing at just the same time. Both stood before the door. Neither wanted to accidentally bump shoulders and halted to a stop. With a cool glance, Alfred then swept forward and left the room, without saying another word or passing an over-the-shoulder glance towards him.

Not that Ivan wanted Alfred to want to be his friend. As a matter of fact, Alfred's cold style of brushing him off only made it easier for him to determine in his mind that he didn't need the American student anymore – he was fine without him.

 **Y.W.**

Yao, Francis and Arthur didn't see Alfred and Ivan during registration. There were hushed whispers about there being a fight. He desperately hoped that wasn't true. Ivan and Alfred had been on great terms since the Talent Show's Freedom and the Coms act. Even though Alfred had been unable to attend the final, finished performance, the bond between Braginsky and Jones had oddly strengthened.

That was… until Alfred forgot to attend Ivan's birthday party.

It wasn't like it had been a last minute organisation. Ivan had mentioned it early in the winter holidays, not just once, but many times, a quiet reminder here and there. Alfred had promised to come. Alfred had broken his promise to Ivan, and now it seemed the two were not off to a good start to the year.

Mr Saunders had wandered in, ruffled, and registered them. His facial expressions at Ivan and Alfred's names displayed nothing but mild disdain. Yao had wondered why he didn't inquire into their locations. Mr Saunders didn't care for his students, but he didn't want to be picked up on breaking the basic rules all teachers had to follow. Yao should've instantly assumed Mr Saunders had seen them, yet his mind was more focused on their exact whereabouts.

After that, the day changed rapidly when they were told to return to the common room, rather than start their ordinary school day. Yao had dragged himself alongside Arthur and Francis, where they'd slumped back down on their favourite couch. It seemed Mrs Kelly was giving another presentation.

"I'm sure all of you received some form of notice about this special part of the second term," she said. "Year Twelve students will be learning about the lives of you Year Thirteens, and therefore, the Buddy system was established. This is where the older students watch out for and advise the younger students as they make their way through their final academic years. It's an enjoyable experience and a perfect method of aiding the bonds between Years Twelve and Thirteen."

The presentation was boring and continued to drivel about topics Yao deemed unimportant. It wasn't like he was going to get a Buddy anyway. He wasn't personable enough.

Mrs Kelly finally reached the end of her presentation. "The Year Twelves will all locate their Buddies. If you don't know who someone is, don't be afraid to ask."

Yao turned to Francis and Arthur. "I wonder if Ivan and Alfred will get a Buddy?"

"Probably not," Arthur grumbled. "They carry on like a couple of twelve year old girls fighting over Team Edward and Team Jacob."

"Don't we all?" Francis mused.

"I don't know about you, but sparkly vampires and nonce wolves aren't to my taste," Arthur rolled his eyes. "Oh, look. Here they are."

Yao turned his head to see Ivan and Alfred approaching. The latter held a tissue to his nose and the former still looked pissed off. Alfred looked a mess. They stood awkwardly before the other three, before exchanging a glance of realisation.

"If you two still want to hang around with us comfortably," Arthur sighed. "You'll either have to resolve the problems between you two, or someone will have to branch out."

"It won't be me, dude," Alfred scowled.

"Whatever, da?" Ivan looked away and wandered off.

Yao felt a little bad for him. After all, it was Alfred who was in the wrong at the moment. Arthur seemed to be thinking the same thing, because mild regret tinged his eyes as he watched Ivan walk off.

"Hey, you're Alfred Jones, right?" they turned their heads to see Ivan's younger sister, Natalya, standing at Alfred's side.

"Yeah?" Alfred looked quizzical.

"Good, because I didn't want to get you mixed up with your brother," she folded her arms. "I've been told that, as of today, we are 'Buddies'. They need to think of some new names because that's just fucking cheesy."

"I guess so," Alfred said. "Well, nice to meet you…?"

"Natalya."

"Nat? You go by Nat?"

"No, just Natalya."

Yao thought Alfred would be the only one to get a Buddy at this rate. Life decided to prove him so wrong and throw all his work in his face with a cruel dose of karma.

" _Aniki_!"

Yao turned his head with groan and saw Yong Soo approaching fast.

"Aniki, we're officially Buddies!" Yong Soo cried, beaming with joy and hopping from foot to foot. "Isn't that great?"

"Yeah," Yao let out a pained sigh. "So _great_ …"

* * *

 **A/N:** _For the record, my mum is Team Edward. Hope you all had a nice week and, since this is so late, expect another post from me in the next couple of days or so. Until next time!_


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N:** _Hello, I'm terribly sorry, but it's been a very long time since I last posted! The past few weeks for me have been incredibly hectic- I've either been extremely busy meeting up with people, or I've been working on a recent essay on the Aztecs (very interesting, by the way; if you want to know more I'll note some of the books I read and you can take a look into that). It's taken up so much of my time gathering the sources needed, but it's finally the Easter break, so I've come back for that and hope to get my posts back on to a regular schedule once more._

 _For all of you who have been waiting for an update, I'd just like to thank you so much for your patience. Writing is my passion and I just haven't had the chance to sit down and get anything out; I've really missed it. I can be frustrating at times, especially when I suddenly disappear for months on end. Without further ado, the next chapter of Love is in the Air._

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

* * *

 **K.H.**

Kiku was one of the best students in his class. His diligent manner meant he was able to keep on track of his work without experiencing problems. There was never a time in his life when he achieved less than 'A'. He was a role model student. He never broke the rules, he listened to and respected his teachers and there was never a time when he had failed to turn in an essay on time. Kiku was the perfect student, as far as he was concerned, save the odd time when, to manipulate odds towards his favour, he had stolen a sandwich from the lunch hall. That was the only black mark on his record, and it barely compared to the types of other things the rest of the student body had committed.

So, why, then, had Kiku _not_ been picked to be someone's Buddy?

That usually wouldn't bother him. Kiku often disliked having to hang around people, unless he was comfortable being with them. He had a naturally reclusive nature. Yet, to have a Buddy, in his eyes, was the school's method of showing you were a capable student who would also be a good role model for the younger year. The fact that he had not received a Buddy made Kiku wonder if he'd done something horribly wrong.

Feliciano and Ludwig had Buddies, and they were sitting on a group of benches outside on the school ground, all getting to know one another. Fel's reason for this was, as their Buddies would be hanging around them many times, they would often see each other. Therefore, if they all pretended to be one, big group of people, bonding would be far easier. Kiku had liked the idea, as had Ludwig and the two Buddies, but he still couldn't help but feel a little jealous of his friends.

After all, the academy had deemed them responsible, and tossed him aside. Or so it felt.

Kiku had to keep in his head that it was not his friends' fault he lacked a Buddy, but the academy's. They were the ones who elected who did and who didn't have a Buddy, and Kiku felt he had proven himself time and time again eligible to have a Buddy in his final year. He felt oddly betrayed, but chose to bottle it in until he spoke with a member of staff.

If he had the courage to do so. Which he didn't.

"So, I'm Feliciano Vargas," Fel was saying. "I like pizza, pasta and-" he winked at the two Buddies seated at their table. "-pretty ladies."

"Fel, now is not the time," Ludwig folded his arms. "I am Ludwig Beilschmidt. Subjects I particularly excel in are Maths, D.T. and Engineering, should you have any questions concerning any of those or need help. However, if you need help with any subject, I would advise asking Kiku. He is, after all, the genius of this year, I would say."

"Ah, thank you, Ludwig," Kiku felt a little embarrassed that his friends believed so highly of him, yet he lacked a Buddy. It was almost like he'd let them down… "Hello, I am Kiku Honda. I… may not be a Buddy to either of you, but I am more than happy to help in any way I can."

It was a standard response. Kiku felt he should've been a little friendlier.

"Ah, well, I am Michelle Mancham, and it is a pleasure to meet you," one of the Buddies beamed. "I love water, so I'm part of the Swim Club!"

"She's my Buddy," Fel said to the group, although Kiku knew it was solely for his benefit.

"And I'm Ludwig's Buddy," the other girl said. "My name is Germaine Fournier. I enjoy all three sciences but am also partial towards a bit of D.T. May I ask… are you Gilbert Beilschmidt's brother?"

"Ah, yes, I am," Ludwig replied. "But we're not alike in any way."

"I see, I see," Germaine nodded in thought.

"I thought he was super cool," Michelle beamed. "Oh, I know the _perfect_ way we can all bond together. It's Germaine's birthday soon – we should spend some time in the weekend hanging out."

"It's your birthday?" Fel glanced at Germaine.

"Hmm, yes," she replied. "That's actually a good idea. But I expect to be treated, as it was not _my_ idea."

"Naturally, that should go to your Buddy," Fel grinned.

Ludwig sighed. "Don't make a big deal out of nothing. Common manners mean you should pay for _your_ Buddy, Fel."

"Oh, that's right," he looked a little embarrassed by himself.

"I think this is going to be super fun!" Michelle beamed. "I know a good pizza place in the next town over – it's really just amazing – and after that, we can watch that new horror film that's coming out!"

"H-horror?" Fel blanched.

"Absolutely!" Michelle continued. "Or does my Buddy need me to hold his hand?"

Kiku watched Fel squirm before he puffed himself out in an attempt to appear macho.

"Absolutely not," he said firmly. "I can take ghosts… and madmen… and monsters… and other really terrifying entities perfectly fine. It's me who needs to hold the hand of you, _bella_."

Kiku suddenly had something to look forwards to. The idea of pizza and a movie appealed to him greatly.

 **F.B.**

To him, it was no surprise that Arthur didn't get a Buddy. He was nowhere near the ideal person the academy would use to set an example to a younger generation. He didn't even appear bothered by it, anyway, muttering under his breath, "It's not like I wanted a Buddy anyway. They would only just get under my feet." Or was that his silent implication that, in fact, a Buddy was the sole thing he desired? Francis couldn't tell, even after all these years, what Arthur's complex mind and personality were trying to say.

Yao, on the other hand, perhaps deserved Yong Soo as a Buddy. It wasn't that Francis wanted to see his friends cursed, he just believed that years of critical behaviour, a loud mouth and enough sass to put the word itself to shame meant Yao needed to be put down a peg or two by forcing him to babysit his childhood nightmare. He didn't know too much about the relationship between the two boys, but Francis could only guess that it was a one-sided friendship Yao was always keen to escape from.

Alfred was with Ivan's younger sister. He definitely deserved that. Francis could see the discomfort in the usually confident boy's eyes as Natalya assessed their one-man down group with a disdainful twist to her mouth. Francis believed Alfred would have a tough time dealing with her. She seemed difficult to handle – extremely beautiful, in a cold, harsh way, yet difficult to watch over. Not only that, but she was _Ivan's_ sister, and their recent argument only made this all the more interesting.

All in all, there had been no requirement for Francis to stir the pot, this time. The ladle had remained stationary, yet the broth had _still_ boiled over.

As for him? Francis had a Buddy of his own. She had almost immediately found him, claiming under her breath it was because of his reputation. Rather than be insulted, Francis had chosen to feel complemented and flattered by her remark. Her name was Lien Chung. She was quiet and strangely kept towards herself. Francis could only guess they'd been paired so he could raise some confidence from within her. That was something he was sure he could do. He had expected to have been partnered with a male student, but it seemed the school was not concerned about gender separation…

Ivan had not returned after Alfred had sent him away. It seemed he wasn't going to come back. Francis couldn't help but feel bad for the other boy, as it was Alfred who had caused all the conflict with his careless behaviour. Nothing could be done, though. If there was something to be resolved, it would get resolved.

"You look like shit," Natalya was saying to Alfred as he slumped down on the couch, the tissue still held to his face. "My brother really packs a punch."

Alfred huffed, but offered her no reply.

"You look a little worn," Francis smirked. "But that's no need to look so moody. You have a Buddy, be grateful for that."

"I feel like someone's trying to punish me," Alfred groaned.

"Don't take it out on me," Natalya folded her arms. "Don't flatter yourself enough to think I _chose_ to be your Buddy. I didn't. The academy did."

"Enough with the arguments," Francis held up his hands. "As Buddies, we need to set examples, and one of the most important thing Buddies do is get along. Let's all of us put our arguments aside."

 **A.K.**

He hadn't let it be known that it had bothered him at first. However, Arthur wanted to be a Buddy more than he'd let on. It was almost an insult from the academy when you weren't elected for something, because that implied you weren't cut out for it. He was mainly pissed off that Alfred and Francis were suitable for the Buddy system, whereas he had been left out.

After the whole Buddies thing, he'd wandered off to allow the others to meet and greet their new Year Twelve partners. Rather than mope around watching them, Arthur believed he could spend his time more appropriately. He had shuffled out of the common room, hands in pockets and minding his own business.

In the corridor, he came across two other students rifling through a Staff Only closet. Ready to report them (because he was in a bad mood and all), he only hesitated when he saw they were two other boys from his year, Lukas Bondevik and Vladimir Popescu.

"Hey," he said, and watched the two jump.

"Oh, it's you," Vladimir's face relaxed to see Arthur standing there. In his hands, he held some black cloaks. "For a moment there, I thought we'd been caught, but then I remembered the teachers are all busy monitoring the Buddies."

"I take it neither of you got Buddies either, then?" Arthur put his hands behind his back and kicked an absent foot.

"Of course not," Lukas gave an incredulous, short lived laugh. "We're considered too 'introverted' and not 'model' enough."

"I wanted to work with his little brother, so that's what they told me," Vladimir continued.

"Can I ask… what are you doing?" Arthur asked, gesturing to the black cloaks.

The two boys glanced at one another before sending him a serious look (or merely impassive, in Lukas' case).

"That's a secret," Vladimir said.

"I'll report you were rifling through the Staff Only closet, then," Arthur raised his phone. "I'll even take photographic evidence."

Vladimir threw the cloaks up in his face.

"Hey, what about me?" Lukas blocked his face with his hands.

"Obvious blackmail is obvious?" Vladimir grimaced. "Please, don't report us. I… guess we can tell you roughly…"

"Oh?" Arthur lowered the phone slightly.

Vladimir peeked over the cloaks, his eyes flitting from side to side as he assessed the corridor. "Do you know magic?"

"Of course I know magic," Arthur smirked. "As a matter of fact, I'm renowned for my usage of magic. I've been doing it since I was only little."

"Well," Vladimir flung the cloaks over himself and the two reappeared wearing them, the hoods drawn over, casting their faces in shadows. "We happen to have a club especially targeted towards the Dark Arts. We hide our equipment in the Staff Only cupboard to save it being stolen or donated to the Drama department…"

"Oh," Arthur shoved his phone in his pocket.

"We're not weird," Lukas insisted. "Just... _magical_."

"Oh, no, I believe you," Arthur glanced around the corridor. "Can I… you know…"

"What?" Vladimir frowned.

"He wants to whisper it," Lukas approached, until they all huddled.

"Can I join?" Arthur asked.

"We'll have to consult our members for that to truly happen," Vladimir said in a hushed voice. "Initiation into this club is an important process we take very seriously. What do you say, Lukas? Should we let him join?"

"I think we should let him join," Lukas said.

"Alright then," Vladimir pushed his hood back. "I'll just order another of these cloaks from Amazon. They're super cheap, like two quid, so if you pay me back, that'd be good…"

"Oh, OK," Arthur nodded eagerly. "Do we have… you know…"

"What?" Vladimir frowned.

"A study for the dark arts," Lukas nodded.

"Oh, yes, we have that," Vladimir chuckled, and pushed his hood up, looking around once more. "Follow us. But be quiet. We don't want to get caught…"

* * *

 **A/N:** _Thank you so much once more for being patient with the chapters! I take a very long time, but from now on for me it's exam period and it's not that difficult to keep on a posting schedule when I'm revising. I have some names at the ready, just because I'm not completely sure if I've properly introduced some of these characters yet._

 _Michelle Mancham:_ Seychelles  
 _Germaine Fournier:_ Monaco  
 _Lien Chung:_ Vietnam  
 _Vladimir Popescu:_ Romania

 _Here's three of the main Aztec books I read that helped a lot:_

Townsend, R. F. _The Aztecs_.  
Smith, M. _The Aztecs_.  
Carrasco, D. _The Aztecs: A Very Short Introduction_. (Actually, these are a series of little books. I want to read more of them because they cover all sorts of topics that are interesting and unusual.)

 _Until next time!_


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N:** _I'm desperately trying to get back on to a regular posting schedule, and I think it's working. Give me time, though. Soon enough, there'll be odd posts once more. No, this time, I'm determined to keep up a routine! Thank you for the patience and, without further ado, the next chapter of Love is in the Air!_

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

* * *

 **I.B.**

"It's nice that we can all be friends once again," Ivan beamed at the two other students he'd latched onto after his prompt departure from the others. "Am I right, da?"

Toris and Eduard cast uncertain glances at one another, before simultaneously cracking awkward smiles in his direction.

"Of course," Toris swallowed. "It's been… um… a long time since the three of us have talked like this."

"Too long," Ivan said, and watched them both avert their gazes beyond his shoulder. "Hmm?"

Turning his head, he saw one of the Year Twelve students hovering nervously, a sheet of paper held tightly in her hands. She wore the expression of someone contemplating something, but that swiftly changed to surprise to have been noticed. She straightened up, embarrassed, and forced a smile on her face.

"H-hi," she stammered.

Ivan blinked. "Hello?"

"Uh, Ivan," Toris frowned, concerned. " _Please_ be welcoming. Remember this was nerve wracking for us at the time…"

Ivan glanced between Toris and the girl, before shrugging and looking back at her. "What do you want?"

"Are you looking for your Buddy?" Eduard took over, smiling pleasantly at her.

A relieved smile appeared on her face the moment he spoke and she seemed to take a deep breath.

"U-um, I-I was told one of you was…" she hurriedly consulted the paper in her hands. "Eye… eye-van?"

"Ivan," he smiled. "Pronounced 'even'."

"Oh, um, I'm sorry," she swallowed. "Ivan. Is… that you?"

"That's me," he said.

In all honesty, he'd forgotten he'd been allowed to have a Buddy. Now that she was standing there, talking to him, he remembered. However, was that disappointment in her eyes to hear that it was him who was Ivan Braginsky, rather than the other two sitting with him? He said nothing, just continued to wait for her to speak.

Eduard glanced at him again before speaking. "What's your name?"

"Oh," her fingers tightened on her hold of the paper and she nervously glanced away. "Mei Xiao."

"Ah, Mei," Toris beamed. "It's lovely to meet you."

"Yeah," Ivan agreed, slightly miffed his Buddy didn't seem to want to be his Buddy.

"Um, so…" she shifted from foot to foot.

"Sit with us," Eduard scooted over on the double couch he'd taken for himself. "We don't bite!"

She managed a smile at that and dropped gently into the space he'd made for her. Ivan watched her. She even preferred to sit far away from him. Someone seemed intent on cursing him by giving him a Buddy who already disliked him. The threatening promise Mrs Ivy had given both him and Alfred echoed through his head. It was about time he started making more of an effort to bond with his Buddy.

He had never met Mei Xiao before. He believed he would know more Year Twelves through Natalya, but it seemed it worked the other way round, her knowing more Year Thirteens. He couldn't see her from where he sat, but could only assume she'd found her Buddy. Mei had never been mentioned before, so he could only guess Natalya had never had a confrontation with her before.

He wasn't really sure what to say. His opportunity was spiralling out of his grasp. Toris and Eduard were filling the vacancy of his conversation by keeping her preoccupied. It was almost like he'd been cut out of their chat. Why hadn't one of _them_ received a Buddy rather than him? Ivan didn't know what to say to her… What would Katyusha say at a time like this? He found himself lost in the depths of his thoughts, thinking about his older sister's wise words of wisdom and advice.

Katyusha would tell him to compliment her. He finally said: "You have lovely hair, da?"

Whatever conversation they'd been having was broken by his random input. He watched the atmosphere grow tense as the calm, easy mood slowly splintered, then snapped, shattering into a thousand fragments that could never be pieced together again. Ivan knew, as soon as the words had left his mouth, that there was a reason he usually ignored Katyusha's advice, and this was it. He had said the wrong thing, because Toris winced, Eduard grimaced, and Mei became extremely uncomfortable. He himself had resumed a rigid position in his chair. He could not take back his words; it was too late for that. He had tried, and he had failed miserably.

"Silly joke, da?" he laughed nervously, and watched as he made the situation worse. "I am getting tea."

He stood and left for the kitchen, desperate to escape the awkwardness he had created. Toris and Eduard could deal with it, because they knew how to. Hastily, he hid in the kitchen and made himself tea. Tea was perfect for such situations, because the moment you focused on making it, your mind was washed of all troubles and all you were required to do was focus on making tea. Nothing more, nothing less. He could do this without messing up, and that was what he especially liked about cooking and making tea. He didn't mess up.

With the steaming mug in his hands, and a contented smile on his face, he left the kitchen, and was just about ready to resume his attempts to communicate with his Buddy, when the presence of Natalya caught his eye.

Her usual, sullen expression had become one of ease whilst she was seated in between Francis and… _Alfred_. On Francis' other side was another girl Ivan didn't know, and Yao was with another student, glazed gaze staring off into space whilst the younger boy chatted away animatedly. Arthur was not present, and there was no one else around to be her Buddy, which meant…

Although he wasn't saying anything or making noise, it was like Alfred sensed his presence. Without calling his name or anything, the American student glanced over and locked gazes with him. Nobody else looked over. It was like a staring contest, an acknowledgement on Ivan's behalf that he'd now recognised Natalya and Alfred were Buddies and for Alfred, the realisation of what this truly meant for him. They were the only people in the room, and Ivan couldn't help but grind his teeth at the thought of Alfred spending a good portion of his academic time with his sister, talking to her, showing her the ropes, having an _influence_ over her. He had complained about him being Buddies with his sister, but in that moment, he desperately wanted to request a swap. In no way was Ivan happy about Natalya being Buddies with Alfred.

But then the stares between them ended, because Natalya jabbed an elbow in Alfred's side. His attention was drawn away, and there was no attempt to continue their aggressive silent staring. She talked to him, and he responded. It was simple, human nature, yet Ivan was still bothered.

Tea in hand, he returned to where Mei was sitting with Toris and Eduard, only to find Feliks had stolen his seat and was also stealing his Buddy. He sat to the side of their growing group, tea in hand, rejected and unnoticed…

 **Y.W.**

As the bonding session had progressed, Yao had become increasingly bored by what Yong Soo had to say. It was mainly complaints about Kiku being head of the manga club, and how long it had been since they'd had a proper conversation (it had been a long time, and if Yao had had the choice, anything they had to say to one another would never have been rekindled again) and also every single tiny detail that occurred in his daily life. It was all things Yao cared little to nothing for, things he didn't want to hear, things he merely pretended to hear.

It seemed to be going better for Alfred and Francis. Lien opened up a little more, revealing a love for art and reading. Arthur's opinion was almost asked, but he was no longer present. Yao didn't even recall him leaving, which made him feel a little guilty, but he knew Arthur wouldn't care. Natalya had toned down her harshness, listening to Alfred talk about his life and aspirations, putting in the odd, ruthless remark.

Yao had seen Ivan go into the kitchen, but if he'd left, he hadn't noticed. He wondered if Ivan had got a Buddy and if he did, who? He would only know the answer to that if he bothered to ask him himself. For now, he had to spend the Buddy session wishing he was watching paint dry whilst a rusty nail was slowly being inserted into his spine.

When it ended, it well and truly ended, and Yao could only thank the world that he had been relieved of Buddy duty for the day and, hopefully, the rest of the year. He was the first to stand and leave the room, only to be told alongside his class by Mr Saunders that they weren't allowed to shirk their duties. If their Buddy needed them, then they needed to be there for their Buddy. It was a little hypocritical from the man who shirked his duty and avoided the responsibility called his students.

"What lesson do we have next, aru?" Yao asked, bored.

"I believe Drama," Francis checked his timetable, and nodded. "Oui. It's Drama. I think we do a performance this year?"

"A performance?" Alfred groaned. "That sounds like it's gonna suck."

"Well, I beg to differ," Arthur, who had returned at this point, folded his arms. "I've heard it's going to be a _Shakespeare_ production, and anything the great Bard has produced and written won't 'suck', as you put it?"

"Milkshake who?" Alfred muttered.

Arthur's next expression was something Yao wanted to make a meme. "You can't seriously be telling me you don't know who _Shakespeare_ is? Where have you been all these years, because it certainly can't be school?"

"I'm only messing with you, dude," Alfred rolled his eyes. "I know perfectly well who Shakespeare is, but that doesn't mean I actually _like_ any of the stuff he does. It's dull and I can't even understand it."

"You're a disgrace to this academy," Arthur scoffed. "How have you made it this far?"

"Natural talent," Alfred offered their group the thumbs up. "But Drama combined with Shakespeare? That won't just suck – it's a total bummer. I won't be able to keep my eyes open this term."

"I've just about had it with you," Arthur huffed. "Whether you like it or not, I'll somehow see you appreciate Shakespeare by the time we leave for the Easter holidays."

"You go ahead with that plan of yours," Alfred replied. "I would rather play video games. Unless someone makes a parody of Shakespeare that includes aliens and zombies. I might consider investing my time after that, dude."

"Whatever, aru," Yao noticed the class had started leaving. "If we don't hurry up, we're going to be late, and that will just be the worst."

They generally agreed on that and left their form room as their group of four. Yao noticed Ivan up ahead, walking in between an unenthusiastic Toris and Eduard.

When Ivan had first moved to the Academy of Hetalia, he had stayed with Toris and Eduard, claiming to have known them before their days at the academy. He was like the glue of an awkward friendship, and the glue was wearing thin. Whilst Toris and Eduard were friends, they were not _best_ friends. Toris preferred to mainly hang around Feliks Lukasiewicz, and Eduard often stayed around Tino Vainamoinen and his friendship group. Ivan was the only reason they had stayed with one another throughout the entire school day.

But, one day, some split had happened and Ivan became distant from them. He drifted away and started hanging around with Francis, Arthur, Alfred and Yao. Eduard and Toris went their separate ways.

But now, they were back as a trio, and Yao couldn't help but feel resentful about it. The saying that you can't miss what you haven't had was definitely true. Yao had had a loyal friendship group of five people, himself included. Now that faithful five was damaged and breaking up. The idea of Ivan reuniting with Toris and Eduard could only bring one, unpleasant thought to Yao's head.

Was it possible they could ever be the same five friends again?

* * *

 **A/N:** _Answer: find out next time! I used to love Drama, but I was too shy to apply for the proper school performances. If I could go back to tell myself to just go for it, then I would, because teachers were always impressed with anything I did, so I can't have been too bad, right? Oh, well; I'll look in the mirror when I'm forty and bitterly think how I could've taken the path towards acting._

 _Toris Laurinaitis:_ Lithuania  
 _Eduard von Bock:_ Eduard  
 _Mei Xiao:_ Taiwan


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N:** _Hello! Left posting this to the very last minute, which I'm sorry for! My sister was round on Friday but I won't see her for another 2 weeks or so, so was just spending that day with her! Either way, the next chapter is here! Without further ado, more **Love is in the Air**_!

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

* * *

 **A.J.**

Alfred's prediction of the Shakespeare Year Thirteen Drama production being a "total bummer" was far more accurate than he would've guessed. Not only were they doing Shakespeare, but it was also one of his many tragedies. Whilst he let out a loud groan, he saw Arthur nod in satisfaction.

The students of the academy had the joy of having Mrs Ramsay as their teacher. She was lanky and tree-like, standing at the magnificent height of five feet ten – the same as Alfred. She was quite notably a woman though, with her slender physique from hours of stretching to warm up for some odd dance routine, or the aerobics club she taught in her free time. She had a strange frazzle of ginger-auburn hair sitting atop her head, constantly pushed back with a sweatband, and some impressive glasses that magnified her eyes to four times their normal size. She was always seen wearing sweat pants, a t-shirt and a hoodie over that. Although fun-loving, she was also extremely passionate and serious about Drama and her career.

That was why the Year Thirteen Drama production had been made an annual thing. Over her influence and enthusiasm, it had become a known thing to see the students of Year Thirteen put on a performance of any play of her choosing for their final year, during their second term. It was compulsory, whether you were a minor character, or a lead role. Although completely disinclined to enjoy the ordeal, Alfred still intended to get a lead part.

Mrs Ramsay had selected _King Lear_ to be their performance of choice. Alfred was only aware of it being a tragedy. He knew nothing else of the play, but since one of the characters shared the name of the title, Alfred knew he was the main. Therefore, Alfred intended to have the part of King Lear. He could easily see himself as the kingly type. King Alfred was a title that everybody should soon become aware of.

"OK, class, we must start with a dance warm up," Mrs Ramsay said excitedly. "Naturally, dance is the rhythm of the soul, and acts as the greatest inspiration towards theatrical performance. That's why we do this every time we start a session."

The dance warm up was a forced routine that most of the students knew off by heart. It was committed to memory, a movement of arms and legs with all the students ordered systematically in a grid-like pattern. It was a tiring process that often left Alfred's limbs aching. Today, he was spaced in between Heracles Karpusi and… Ivan.

After the two boys shared a malicious look towards one another, they looked forwards to where Mrs Ramsay was squinting at her stereo and trying to get the horrible music in place. She finally set the music and leapt forwards to stand before her class. The routine began.

Alfred was lost in the moment of the music, until his hand hit Ivan's shoulder. There was a slight pause whilst they met eyes, a strained grimace on Ivan's face. When Alfred looked away, a painful thud to his shoulder reminded him that the person next to him was a hateful individual. They turned to the side, and Alfred glowered at Ivan's back. A nicely aimed nudge with his foot to the back of Ivan's knee sent him stumbling forwards. He turned with a venomous expression in his eyes.

"Mr Braginsky, keep with the routine," Mrs Ramsay said dreamily. "It gets the creative juices flowing."

Alfred managed a smug smile as Ivan stoically positioned himself for dancing once more. There was a moment's peace, where neither of them bothered the other. Then Alfred turned round to look at Heracles's back. In one of the arms movements, Ivan shoved Alfred forwards. He bumped into Heracles, face awkwardly pressing into the other student.

Heracles turned to look at Alfred quizzically. "You want to wrestle, Alfred?"

He always came up with the weirdest conclusions if something happened to him…

"Oh, no, dude, that's not-"

"I honestly don't mind if we wrestle," Heracles raised his arms. "I've had a lot of practice with Sadik in the past… Or maybe it wasn't so much practice opposed to self-defence… I'm not really sure. But if you want to wrestle now, I have no problem with it. Mrs Ramsay might, but I have no problem."

He was so soft spoken that Mrs Ramsay didn't notice them lingering absently in the background.

"Actually, wrestling can be extremely fun," Heracles took Alfred's hands and began pushing against his palms. "It's a perfectly good workout. I think it's a good show of strength between two men who are looking for a fight, or merely trying to prove themselves. Perhaps that's why you want to wrestle with me? A show of strength?"

"Wait, no-"

Heracles's pushing became firmer, bending Alfred's wrists back. "Of course, there is one thing better than wrestling."

That caught Alfred off guard. "What?"

"Cats," Heracles replied. "But there aren't any cats here, so wrestling will have to do."

Alfred was just about to say something when Heracles shifted his wrists into a lock and bent Alfred over, catching him in a painful headlock.

"Another good thing about wrestling is that is stretches-"

"Heracles, what are you doing?" Mrs Ramsay panicked. "Let Alfred go."

"We're wrestling," Heracles answered, and didn't let Alfred go.

"Let Alfred go," she repeated.

"Alfred asked me to wrestle," Heracles responded. "This is through his choice."

"That doesn't matter, Heracles," Mrs Ramsay insisted. " _Let Alfred go_."

Heracles let go of a red faced Alfred, who gasped for breath before pointing the finger of accusation towards Ivan, who wore the smuggest of expressions he'd seen all day.

"He pushed me into Heracles," he knew he sounded childish saying it, but he would _not_ let Ivan get away without punishment.

"Wow, Alfred," Ivan folded his arms. "It's cheap, even for you, to accuse me of every wrong thing that happens to you…"

"Dude, he _pushed_ me," Alfred gawked.

"Alfred, Ivan, I don't know what qualms you have against one another, but it will _not_ interrupt my Drama lessons," Mrs Ramsay growled. "But for now, you must _put aside_ whatever it is, and become an entirely new person. I expect better behaviour from my Year Thirteen students. I don't care who did what to who, I don't want to hear another word."

"Yes, Ma'am," Alfred muttered, hating how Ivan had actually gotten away with it. Technically.

They spent more of their lesson dancing, then practicing reading Shakespearian dialect. Alfred despised doing that, since he found it difficult. Sullenly, he worked alongside Heracles, who seemed to be fonder of his company since their short wrestling session. They all had to practice Mercutio's speech that made little sense but Alfred had heard it was about some indecent topics…

 **Y.W.**

He had been made to work with Ludwig Beilschmidt. It was interesting to read a language that was so similar yet so different to modern English. Whilst he had never thought much of English before, Drama put a new perspective to this type of literature that Yao rather enjoyed. He had never been a major fan of Shakespeare, merely one of the thousands who could appreciate his work and his legacy, only to move on quickly with their lives and complain about having to study it. He was not like Alfred, who vehemently criticised it, but he was not like Arthur, either, who would defend it with his life if it came down to it.

Ludwig was not the most enthusiastic of people when it came to acting, but he was not wooden. Yao was always one person to critique others, so he noticed every movement Ludwig followed on script. It wasn't like watching a robot perform, at least. He had movement, and his words flowed. He was not graceful, but he was Ludwig, not Francis. What more could Yao expect of Ludwig, who acted as much a man as any manly man could?

Yao was always one for a bit of drama, so when he read, he tried to put feeling into it. He tried to see it from the character's perspective, to hear what they were hearing, say what they were thinking, see like them, just, in general, _be that character_. Yao became Mercutio in that moment, and the words came to his lips with great ease. He was a character wrapped up by his lovelorn friend's mood. Ludwig could be Benvolio, or even Romeo, listening to this one soliloquy that he would belt out to the audience and expect them to listen. Yao spoke to Ludwig like he was many people, rather than just one fellow student. He had never felt so passionate about anything before, yet this was something different. Yao had never truly enjoyed a subject at school until this had happened.

He finished his miniature performance and blew out a breath, glad that he, Mercutio, had now made himself heard. He would soon die in the play, but at least he had left an imprint upon the audience's conscious, and an influence over his friends' future thoughts. Then he was Yao once more, and Ludwig was watching him with a facial expression that indicated nothing about what his performance was like. Yao felt like a shooting star that had been suddenly dimmed down.

"That was…" he turned to see Mrs Ramsay watching, enthralled, which explained Ludwig's silence. "That was incredible, Yao. I've never seen so much life and heart put into a simple performance but… you truly are a _natural_ in the art of theatre."

"A – a natural?" Yao blinked. "Thank you, Mrs Ramsay."

She nodded knowingly at him before wandering away, a cheerful and satisfied expression on her face.

"I think," Ludwig said slowly and in thought. "You might be picked for a main role."

"You think?" Yao glanced back at him.

"Ja…"

 **K.H.**

He was usually left outside to wait for Alfred. After a short fiasco during Drama class, Alfred, Ivan and Heracles had been asked to stay behind, so Mrs Ramsay could speak to them. Alfred had told Kiku to wait by the gates. Kiku had gone, no questions asked.

January was a very cold time of the year. Not only that, but it was early January, around mid-way through the harsh winter. He had to adjust his earmuffs and scarf to keep himself toasty warm, as well rub his hands together, encased as they were in their mittens. It was cold, so he hoped Alfred wouldn't be long.

Alfred arrived when Kiku wasn't paying attention, dragging his bike along with him. Behind him hurried Matthew.

"Well, what am I supposed to tell them?" Matthew was asking. "Because the school _will_ tell them what's happened."

"I'll deal with that when it comes," Alfred climbed on top of his bike.

"You can't just _hide_ from your problems, Al," Matthew groaned.

"See you later, Matt," Alfred sighed. "C'mon, Kiku. Let's get this started."

"Right," Kiku kicked away from the ground. "See you, Matthew."

"Bye, Kiku," Matthew looked pained as he backed away and headed off into the carpark.

"You shouldn't be so hard on your brother," Kiku frowned at Alfred. "He's only trying to help you…"

"It's just nag, nag, nag," Alfred rolled his eyes. "Like a third, unnecessary parent. It really gets annoying."

"He's only trying to help…" Kiku repeated solemnly, but he knew there would be no reaching Alfred. He was in one of those dark moods where he believed the world could never understand him.

 **I.B.**

The clock ticked on the wall, a methodically timed tick that remained consistent and agitating. He had been called to his father's study as soon as he'd stepped in through the front door.

"I heard what happened at school today," his father was playing darts. Each little point stuck firm into the centre of the target. "Who is this Alfred Jones?"

Ivan hesitated a moment before answering. "Just someone I know at school."

"Is he problematic?" Mr Braginsky sent another dart flying towards the target.

"Problematic?" Ivan frowned, looking at his father's profile, which remained impassive. Although an aged man, he was strangely threatening. "I… I can deal with him."

His father paused and glanced at him. "You can deal with him?"

There was an odd expression in his eyes, something that was both challenging yet filled with pride. Ivan thought carefully about his answer. He always thought about the answers when it came to his father.

"Yes," he said with sudden resolution. "If Alfred continues to be a problem, I'll deal with him in the appropriate manner."

There was a pause whilst his father assessed him. Had he said the right thing? Ivan could never be sure with his father.

"Very well," Mr Braginsky walked forwards to tear his darts from the target. "Do what you want."

Ivan couldn't help but feel his answer had been incorrect.

"You can go," his father sent him an icy glare.

"Yes, Father," Ivan hastily backed out of the room and into the corridor.

Natalya stood outside in the hallway. Had she been listening to the conversation? Her body language and facial expression indicated nothing. For a moment, the two Braginsky siblings stood in their own places outside their father's office. Neither of them said a word for a moment.

"Natalya," he finally said.

"Ivan," she frowned. "You have…"

"I have?"

"A black eye still," she glanced away. "Did you put ice on it?"

"No," he replied, irritation rising at being reminded of everything Alfred.

"I can-"

"I don't need help, Natalya," he breezed past her down the hallway. "Just leave me alone."

"Big Brother."

He stopped in the middle of the hallway. He didn't dare look towards her.

"Yes, Natalya?" he tried to keep the patience in his voice, but it was becoming increasingly difficult, when all he wanted was to have a go at her.

"Are you OK?" she asked, a slight edge to her voice.

Ivan inhaled deeply before he answered, desperate to remain calm. "Yes, Natalya. I'm fine."

He left after that, trudging up the stairs, suddenly drained of energy rather than brimming with anger.

* * *

 **A/N:** _I won't lie, but during the Drama class, Ivan was my spirit animal. When I was in primary school, I had this major rival who I really, really disliked. He was always back chatting the teachers, and this one particular Music teacher absolutely hated his guts. Anyway, we were in music class and I was sitting in a chair, whilst he was on the floor. He was relentlessly tapping my heel, and it was really annoying me, because A) he was my rival and B) I was trying to concentrate but couldn't because he was tapping me. Anyway, I got fed up, so I swung my foot back and kicked him. He threw a fuss, and the teacher got mad, and then blamed him for back-chatting because I was a malicious little liar and pulled the innocence trick. I mark it my proudest day because he got sent to the headmistress' office for, basically, tapping my foot._

 _Heracles Karpusi:_ Greece


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N:** _Hey, all! Just posting this a week early, since I'm travelling a lot tomorrow. I'll be gone for 6 days, roughly, but that shouldn't affect next week's posting time. Even so, you know the reason why if I don't post any time soon. I also want to let you know that, in about a month's time, my exam period starts. I'll have about 2-3 weeks where I can't guarantee a stable posting routine, but after that, you have me for 4 months! Once the exams are over, I have no excuse for not posting, because my summer holidays will have officially started at the beginning of June, and I won't go back to university until the end of September! So, no excuses, unless I go on holiday (which I might, huehue...) Anyway, without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

* * *

 **F.V.**

It was a rough morning.

Feliciano had Germaine's birthday planned for today. It was a perfectly normal Saturday, where Feliciano woke up, made breakfast himself, and enjoyed a peaceful siesta in the back garden. For him, it didn't matter that it was cold. Whether it was a warm sun caressing his skin, or a chilled frost prickling his body, Feliciano was purely grateful that he could close his eyes and have a few extra moments sleeping.

The dream world was far greater than the real one. It was where Fel could escape his problems, where he was safe to float amongst his dream clouds and embrace his dream life. The dream world was a good place.

A tapping on his shoulder alerted him to the real world. Fel sat up and glanced over his shoulder to see Lovino standing in the doorway. Usually, his brother slept in on weekends, and wouldn't be awake until afternoon.

"Lovino?" Fel rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Is something wrong?"

"Why you sleeping outside?" his brother asked.

"I usually do," Fel admitted. "Why?"

"This is what you do during your day?" Lovino glanced around the frosted garden. "You may as well stay in bed…"

"I get hungry, though, and need a snack or breakfast," Fel yawned, and sat upright. "But I do have things to do today, so thanks for waking me up."

"Things to do?" Lovino watched as he stood.

Fel nodded tiredly. "I'm meeting Ludwig, Kiku and some others at the pizza place later. It might mean you have to make dinner… Are you OK making pasta?"

"Dunno," Lovino looked ashamed.

"There's instructions on the fridge for pasta," Fel said. "Or you could just order pizza. Papa won't mind either way."

"Right," Lovino shifted awkwardly in the doorway.

"You'll get the hang of it, Lovino," Fel smiled as he forced himself to stand. "Cooking isn't easy!"

"I know…" Lovino sighed. "It's just… Antonio's at uni, and he's only had his Mama watching over him since he was a little boy; he can cook for himself, and Gil's not too much different. They're both capable, whereas I still live at home and depend on my younger brother."

"You can always help me cook meals?" Fel suggested. "You can learn that way?"

"I suppose," Lovino shrugged. "Yet, at the same time, I can't be arsed."

"That's fine, too," Fel walked past him. "Did you want breakfast, Lovino? You're not usually up at this time so I haven't made you any…"

"That's fine," Lovino followed him. "I dunno. I'm not that hungry…"

"Hmm, I'll get you some cereal," Fel nodded. "You need to make sure to eat in the morning!"

He busied himself preparing a simple bowl of cereal as Lovino watched him. He never blamed his brother for his incapability. Lovino had failed all his exams in Year Thirteen and had left the education system promptly after that. Even though it had greatly bothered him, he never went to university with Antonio and Gilbert, yet also refused to retake his year. He spent about a month at the Carriedo household, leaving Fel at the hands of their ruthless father. That summer had been very difficult… Even now, Fel sometimes got the feeling Lovino could never forgive himself for leaving him like that. After his short period of misery, Lovino picked himself up. He found himself a job that paid enough for him to survive and pay the bills, he began to defend Fel with his life, and that was when the tension between him and their father built up once more. Fel, once again caught in the middle, had to defend the Vargas name by brushing the conflict under the rug and taking each physical and emotional hit without a complaint.

That was how he'd coped, alongside the dreaming. Pretending nothing wrong was happening around him. Sometimes, he wished he could just talk about it to Ludwig and Kiku, but he felt ashamed of his father's behaviour, and his own actions. He was weak and let himself get pushed around, whereas Lovino had tried to fight back and still attempted time and time again. It was Fel who remained the easy punching bag, the encouragement for such behaviour with his weak pleas and subservient nature.

He handed the cereal bowl to Lovino, pushing those dark thoughts aside. It was when his mind became clouded that it became too difficult to bear. He needed to prevent himself breaking down, for fear that the truth would come rushing out alongside his emotions. Feliciano Vargas had the purpose of hiding everything.

 **L.B.  
**

His day began at six-thirty in the morning. He dressed, brushed his teeth, gelled his hair back and then dealt with any laundry that his father hadn't already gotten around to doing. The house was cleaned within an inch of its life, but if Ludwig deemed anything a little unclean in the slightest, he would sort that out. It was only two people cleaning the house since Gilbert had gone to university. Ludwig could only hope he would keep doing the laundry.

His father had already gone to work by the time he was awake. He wouldn't see him until the end of the day, and he was to be out then, so all he could do was leave a brief, shorthand reminder on the fridge in the form of a post it note attached with a magnet. He had a busy day ahead of him.

Ludwig started with work. It was always good to get work out of the way. Perhaps he should also call Fel, just to make sure he remembered to do his work? He decided against it, with the excuse that it was only Saturday, and Fel could do his work tomorrow.

 **F.B.**

It had been under Yao's suggestion that he'd invited Ivan along. After what had seemed like a continually rough week for him, Yao had taken pity and decided to include him on their activities. Francis had never truly dreamed of someone else joining them, but he was not against it, either.

Ever since he could drive, Yao had exercised the use of his car as much as he could. He had started picking Francis up from his house, rather than the chauffeur guide them around town to the delicate little restaurant on the corner. It was just out of sight, but good feedback and reviews had made it especially popular. It didn't just serve food, but also little classes.

Being the gourmets they were, Francis and Yao enjoyed good food, even if it meant they had to take charge and make it themselves. Yao had been positive that Ivan would share their love of delectable meals.

As they'd never actually been to Ivan's house before, neither of them had known where it was. Yao had had to figure it out on the vague instructions Ivan had provided. Francis had helped with directions, and when they'd found the house, they'd been surprised. Neither had expected Ivan to live in a gothic, secluded manor just outside town. They had sat, stunned, in their car, staring up at the house that looked more suited in a horror film.

Ivan had come hurrying out upon seeing their car and had climbed in the back. He had been perfectly pleasant, but Francis had to remind himself it was not _them_ who he was mad at, but Alfred. Ivan had no reason to be aggressive towards them, and Francis shouldn't have expected him to act negatively.

"This place is so nice," Ivan looked around the little bistro, a wide smile on his face.

It seemed he'd liked the idea of attending their Saturday cooking class with them. He'd been enthusiastic throughout the car journey, and he was brimming with the same excitement.

As they were cooking, he became increasingly lost in thought, until Francis had the nerve to inquire.

"Is something the matter, Ivan?" he asked. "You look like you're on another planet."

"I was just thinking about these Buddies of ours," Ivan sighed. "Did you guys get one?"

"Yes, we did," Yao pursed his lips. "I have to babysit Yong Soo for the rest of this term, aru."

"I have the lovely Lien," Francis smirked. "I'll make her fall for me eventually."

"Well, I have a girl called Mei, but we really haven't started off well at all," Ivan admitted, and Francis worried his Buddy was only causing him additional worry. "I creeped her out and insulted her without meaning to… I got the feeling from the start she didn't like me…"

"Hmm, well, I know a thing or two about women," Francis said. "Perhaps I could offer a couple words of advice? What happened?"

"I complimented her hair out of the blue," Ivan grimaced.

"Despite only just having met her?" Yao cringed.

"Yeah, but in my embarrassment I claimed it was a joke," he sighed. "I could tell I offended her and she didn't seem inclined to talk to me again."

"Well, that was one fuck up after another," Francis chuckled. "Have you never spoken to a girl before, Ivan? Sisters don't count!"

"Well, duh," Ivan rolled his eyes. "No, not really…"

"Wait… you have _never_ spoken to a girl before?" Yao leant a little closer.

"Of course I have spoken to girls," Ivan folded his arms, agitated. "Just… never with intent on getting to know them."

"Ah, I see," Francis waggled his eyebrows. "I didn't realise you were that type, Ivan."

"I think you misunderstand me," Ivan frowned. "No, not like _that_ , just… as a friend."

"You've _never_ even been _friends_ with a girl?" Yao asked.

"Hey, Yao, you are a _fine one_ to talk," Francis scolded. "Needn't I remind you about your lies concerning Elizabeta in Year Ten?"

"Please don't," Yao groaned. "I'm surprised she ever forgave me."

"He told everyone he'd made it to fourth base with her," Francis explained to a confused Ivan.

"Oh," Ivan glanced at Yao. "Why?"

"Why do you _think_ , Ivan?" Yao glowered at him. "Because I was a stupid boy who thought he was cool, and she was hot. She still is, aru."

"This is not helping me deal with my Buddy," Ivan frowned. "You're giving me relationship advice, not friendship advice."

"Ah, your Buddy…" Francis paused in thought, halfway between kneading dough. "I… could say… just try and arrange a hangout time with her during school. Get to know her, but let her know you as well. She's probably nervous, that's all."

"Yeah, try to be welcoming," Yao said. "That's what Francis did with Lien and she managed to speak up a little."

Francis watched as Ivan mindlessly kneaded his dough.

"OK," he nodded. "We'll see how it goes."

 **F.V.**

Yes, it had been an ordinary Saturday. That was until his father had woken up early and encountered him on the stairs. He had stood there, taking the violent abuse hurled towards him. It was often like this. It was _his_ fault their mother had left, because the first child had been bad enough.

Feliciano could feel himself get shaken, trying to snap him out of that blissful dream world where everyone was happy.

"Get off him," Lovino shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

"You _ruined_ everything," Papa yelled into his face.

His eyes stung with tears. It was normally Lovino who took the hits. It was normally Lovino who defended himself. Fel rose his hands to block his face, trying to drown out the real world.

"If it wasn't for _you_ , Mama would be here with us," Papa cried.

"Don't be fucking delusional," Lovino yelled, an edge of worry in his voice. "She left because of _you_ and your shit personality, not Fel."

"Papa, please stop," Fel gently held his father's wrists. "Papa, you're scaring me."

"Neither of you know nothing," their father's breath smelt of stale alcohol. "It's not my fault she left."

"We can sort it out," Fel tried. "We can all be happy one day, I promise."

"You can't promise for shit," his father lashed out, and Fel jumped back, terrified-

-and lost his footing.

 **L.B.**

They were waiting ages for Fel. At this rate, they would miss the film, but there really was no sign of him. Ludwig was about to call him when he himself received a call.

"Fel?" he answered. "Where are you?"

His friend laughed nervously from the other side of the phone. "I won't be able to make it today, Lud. I'm very sorry!"

"What?" Ludwig frowned. "I'd be fine about you cancelling, but this is _very_ last minute?"

"I know, but I lost my footing and tripped down the stairs," Fel replied. "Silly me!"

"W-what?" Ludwig frowned. "Are you OK?"

"Oh, yeah, sure, I'm fine," Fel laughed again. "Enjoy the film and pizza, right?"

"Um…" Ludwig didn't get another word in, because Fel disconnected the call. He glanced awkwardly around the group. "Fel won't be able to make it due to… unexpected circumstances."

"Oh," Michelle looked surprised. "Is he OK?"

"He's fine," Ludwig sighed. "He said to go on."

He exchanged a brief glance with Kiku before the pair of them went in. It seemed they would have to suffice without Fel…

* * *

 **A/N:** _Thank you for your patience, and I'm glad to be getting more stable with my posting routine! A quick note: I know canon Lovino is an absolutely excellent cook, but he's a bit shaken in this AU, bless him. Until next time!_


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N:** _The Easter holidays have almost ended for me... For shame. I have exams starting on the 12th May which end on the 1st June. Fun times for me; I have 8 in total and I'm just dreading what's going to happen. Luckily, I only need 40% to pass each module, and I'm really riding on that, ha ha! It's my dad's birthday today- I know it might seem odd that I might post Gakutalia on my dad's birthday, but he's opened his presents and we're going out for dinner later! As a family, we're not massive on the birthdays- Christmas is the big one for us!_

 _Anyway, I just want to a say a massive thanks to everyone who has visited this Fic- **1,000 views** , that is! So many people have been clicking on Gakutalia: LIITA! I feel like a proud mother at this point. Thank you for being patient with me and my terrible scheduling, but also for just taking the time to see what I've written. It really means a lot to see people have been checking up with me and my stories, and that everyone's still on board the Gakutalia train. Thank you again, and without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia: LIITA!_

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

* * *

 **Y.W.**

After the events of the first, disastrous week, Yao was glad to see his friends finally begin to focus on studies and what was happening in school. The rift between Ivan and Alfred did not repair. The two remained adamant to stay apart, even if Ivan was excluded from the friendship group of five. Although it had been great to see him over the weekend, Yao was a little sad to see he would not be standing with them during school.

Once again, they were practicing for the school play. After all the compliments Mrs Ramsay had been feeding him, as well as the approval of Ludwig, Yao strongly believed he was in for a significantly good role in the play.

Today, Mrs Ramsay had lined them all up for speech practice. Since Shakespeare's English was considerably different to Modern English, she wanted to hear how well everyone spoke. Yao had already successfully passed her books, managing to enunciate each word with care and precision. She had in her eyes the same light she always did when he appeared before everyone else. Yao's ego had inflated to a healthy size ever since he'd begun.

After Alfred tripped a couple times on his words, it was Arthur's turn. Yao watched as he stood before the other students, enthralled by the words of a man he venerated. Yao had always known Arthur was passionate about Shakespeare, so this was probably something within the Literature geek's element.

"Rumble thy bellyful!" the way Arthur spoke even had Yao hanging on his words. Although he didn't share the crazed look of Lear by this stage of the play, the power in his words conveyed more than enough to satisfy Mrs Ramsay, who leant forwards in anticipation to hear more. "Spit, fire! Spout, rain!"*

He continued the speech of powerful words, each hitting Yao like the bolts of lightning they were intended to represent. Arthur spoke with a passion Yao had never witnessed within him before, and Mrs Ramsay even got him to read a _second_ passage. Yao watched in awe as his usually unenthusiastic friend ploughed through the second passage with the same vigour and fluidity as he'd done the first one.

"I am a man more sinned _against_ than sinning,**" Arthur finished, and Mrs Ramsay sighed.

"That was _spectacular_ , Arthur," she gushed. "I've never seen someone perform with so much… _life_ before. Listening to you read those lines really made me consider the thoughts and emotions running through Lear's head at that _exact_ moment. It was truly inspiring…"

"Thank you," he suddenly seemed speechless.

The most relieved Arthur looked was when he got to step back away from the crowd and let someone take the lead.

"Ivan?" Mrs Ramsay checked her list. "If you turn to page nine, there's another speech of Lear's that begins at the bottom of the page. Could you read that?"

Ivan, who stood beside Yao, suddenly looked bright red. "Me?"

He even completed the dumbfounded expression with a little added point in his own direction. Mrs Ramsay nodded.

"I'm not sure I can…" Ivan began, but paused when Yao nudged him.

"Go on, aru," he hissed out of the corner of his mouth.

"What if I don't _want_ to?" Ivan replied, even though his lips barely moved.

"Of course you want to," Yao whispered fiercely. "Since we're all going to be in this play, you might as well get a good part."

With a sigh, Ivan stepped forward and began flicking idly through the pages. "Where was it again, sorry?"

"Page nine," Mrs Ramsay said. "Bottom. Start with the line: 'Here I disclaim'***."

"Right," Ivan paused at page nine, and swallowed nervously.

Oddly, he glanced at Yao, who nodded his encouragement, and then towards Alfred, who remained uncharacteristically stoic, a firm frown stretched across his face. Ivan inhaled deeply and began to read.

 **F.B.**

Francis had always been one for drama. That in itself was obvious in the way he reacted towards the problems his friends struggled with on a daily basis. He performed as expected: with a flair and enthusiasm that could not be replicated amongst any other student. He was not perfect, but he was definitely unique, and it was to Francis' delight that he was able to make himself stand out amongst his fellow students. He always liked to be noticed, and he didn't want to be completely outshone by Arthur, who had caught Mrs Ramsay's positive attention the moment he'd started speaking.

It was Roderich's turn, and Francis was standing in the line between Elizabeta and Basch. The Austrian student stood forwards, his graceful figure illuminated by the stage lights Mrs Ramsay had turned on. His pianist's fingers delicately turned the page when he reached the end, and although usually harsh spoken, Shakespearian language fit his dialect. He still had a firm voice, but it seemed somehow softer compared to usual.

"He's so good at this," Elizabeta murmured from beside Francis.

He paused, and glanced at her. Her green eyes were transfixed on Roderich, and she had her hands behind her back, fingers tightly knotted and interwoven amongst each other, as if she were nervous.

"Very," he agreed, and watched her look at him with wide eyes.

"Did I say that out loud?" she whispered and anxiously chuckled under her breath. "Pretend you didn't hear that…"

"What do you mean?" Francis replied. "What's wrong with admiring a fellow student's speaking skills?"

She paused for thought, but she seemed to be struggling to find the right words.

"Unless we're dealing with grounds that go beyond admiration?" he suggested, and watched a blush creep in her cheeks, an expression he'd never seen in the overly strong, fierce Elizabeta Hédeváry before.

"Whatever do you mean by that?" she huffed. "I think Roderich's speaking skills are incredible, but that's _it_."

"You two always hang out with one another," Francis shrugged. "I just wanted to know if I was wrong after all this time and if there _is_ something going on between you two."

"There's absolutely _nothing_ between myself and Roderich," she pursed her lips. "And even if there was, Francis, it wouldn't be any of your business."

"Can I let you in on a little secret?" Francis leant a little closer. "You know Basch?"

This was said extremely quietly, considering the other student stood right beside him, oblivious to every word he was saying.

"What about him?" she looked suspicious of Francis' sudden change of subject.

"I've heard a lot about him," Francis said, eyes flitting in the Swiss student's direction. "But the most interesting is that he used to be _extremely_ close to Roderich."

"I know that," she looked almost proud of herself. "You don't know any more than I do…"

"Well, you see, I've also heard that he bats for the other team," Francis whispered, and watched her tense. "I heard he made a move on Roderich and that's why they're no longer friends."

"No, that can't be it," she peered at Basch incredulously, who awkwardly met her gaze and looked away. "I didn't think…"

"Ask Feliks about it," Francis knew Feliks would be able to provide some kind of story blurring Basch's sexuality, so knew he could send Elizabeta there and know she was going in the right direction. "But I've heard a lot about Basch that would make you and I blanche on the spot."

Elizabeta said nothing, just kept glancing between Basch and Roderich.

"And what about Roderich?" she finally asked.

"What about him?" Francis wanted to leave her hanging in order to achieve his goal.

"Is he… you know…" she looked uncomfortable.

"Gay?" Francis glanced at Roderich. "Maybe… He is the sensitive, musical type, and he definitely seems to spend a considerable amount of time over his appearance."

"He can't be…" she murmured.

"Why would it matter?" Francis frowned. "It's not like you _like_ him or anything."

There was a moment's wait as she turned her head to look at Francis in disbelief. "Basch isn't gay. That was a ploy to see my reaction."

"Maybe," he smiled to himself.

"Alright, then," she glanced around the room and beckoned Francis closer. "Can I tell _you_ a little secret? Can you promise to keep it between you and I?"

"Naturally," mission accomplished, Francis leant her his ear.

"I may like Roderich more than I let on," she admitted carefully. "But it wouldn't matter anyway, because he _obviously_ doesn't feel the same."

"Does he not?" Francis glanced at Roderich.

"Do you think he does?" she looked slightly hopeful.

"I wouldn't know," Francis replied. "He's very difficult to read…"

"Well, I don't think he does," she sighed wistfully. "He's more focused on the music, so it seems I'm just in the background. It's so difficult to get his attention and keep it, because he's just on one thing to the next…"

"So… you've been friends with him for years, and you've liked him for a long time…" Francis frowned. "Have you ever talked to him about it? Asked him out?"

"Of course _not_ ," she looked appalled. "I couldn't risk our friendship over something so _trivial_. He gets uncomfortable so quickly and as soon as he's confronted with an awkward situation, he chooses to avoid it rather than stare at it head on. He's important to me and I don't want to lose him just like that…"

"Trivial?" Francis gasped. "Love is _not_ 'trivial', Elizabeta, and neither are your feelings. Have you _never_ toyed with the idea that Roderich could, one day, reciprocate the feelings you've held for so long towards him?"

She hesitated, then shifted from foot to foot. "Maybe, but it's wishful thinking, Francis. I honestly don't think Roderich has any feelings for me, otherwise I'd have noticed. We've known one another for years, we've even _shared a room_ , yet he has never tried or said anything to me that could suggest something…"

"He's a bit of a prude, though, isn't he?" Francis said.

"No," she looked defensive. "OK, maybe a little… Sometimes… But he's so wonderful, and he doesn't even realise how I feel about him."

Francis looked towards Roderich and wondered about that. The pair of them were always hanging out with one another, and everyone believed they were dating, even if they weren't. Francis wouldn't have been surprised if they had turned out to be that one couple who were suddenly getting married before they went to university.

"You won't tell _anyone_ , though, right?" Elizabeta looked nervous.

"Of course not," Francis flashed her an effortless smile. "That would be disrespectful to such a wonderful woman's wishes."

 **A.J.**

"I completely nailed it out there," Alfred looked proud of himself as they walked along. "Mrs Ramsay was dead impressed with my performance. I'm definitely going to be Lear with the way this is going."

"I don't know," Yao tapped his chin in thought. "You were _pretty good_ , Arthur, and she even got you to read a _second_ passage."

"Oh, you thought I was good?" Arthur seemed oddly sedated.

"Well, I was better," Alfred said, ignoring the strange behaviour of his friends. "It's quite clear that I'm going to be Lear."

"Alright, then, but don't be disappointed if you're not, aru," Yao shrugged. "Say, where is Francis?"

"I think he left with Elizabeta?" Arthur replied.

"Never mind, Francis, what did you guys think of my-"

Alfred was stopped mid-sentence by Natalya striding over and harshly tapping his shoulder. He glanced down to her, seeing her place her hands on her hips.

"Something up?" he asked.

"I can't find where everyone else is getting the toast," she complained. "Besides, I want a coffee and it's next to impossible to have some when there's none left…"

"Ah, right," he lifted a hand to his friends. "Be with you later."

"How honourable of you," the sarcasm was thick in her tone. "Leaving your friends to help me out, rather than just pan off some vague directions as I expected of you."

"It seems you underestimated me," he led her to the other side of the school, where the common room was located. "However, supplies aren't too hard to find. You have to go to the staff room to collect new supplies, because it's delivered there rather than straight to the common room."

"Oh," she frowned. "How come?"

"Years back a student pretended they weren't getting their box of goods, which resulted in the students of Year Thirteen getting three times the amount they were supposed to," Alfred explained. "The past will always be there to haunt the present."

He knocked on the staff room door and waited for a teacher to open it.

"Come here with someone else," he advised. "Because someone needs to carry the box round to the room, whilst the other person takes the milk."

"Right," she said.

The door opened and Alfred requested the Year Twelve box.

"What about the Year Thirteen one?" she asked.

"That'd be gone by now," he said, and took the box when it came. "You can carry the milk."

"Fine," she grumbled, and took both bottles when they were handed over.

They walked straight to the common room and into the kitchen, where Alfred deposited the box of biscuits, bread and butter on the counter. He unloaded it and passed the items one by one to Natalya, who organised them around the kitchen.

"Students have to do this every day?" she asked.

"If they want snacks, yes," he placed the coffee on the counter, and then the hot chocolate next to that. "You only get coffee, hot cocoa and milk once a week, so savour it or make sure you get an early look in."

"OK," she said, taking the coffee, just as he reached for it.

Alfred glanced at the coffee tub where his hand rested on hers. Her hand was surprisingly warm (why was it surprising?) and her nails were painted a pretty shade of purple, or blue, suddenly Alfred couldn't tell, because he was still standing there, with his hand over hers.

"Um," he withdrew his hand swiftly. "Coffee… tastes great here, so… give it a go. I… need a cup."

He ducked down behind the cupboard and started rifling through cups, even though his stood on the counter above. His face was burning. Alfred swallowed, feeling his heart suddenly beating in his chest. What was wrong with him? Why was he using a cupboard as an excuse to hide?

Cautiously, he peered over the edge of the cupboard and saw her staring at her hand, still on the coffee tub.

* * *

* Shakespeare, W. 1606. _King Lear_. 2000 Heinemann Advanced Shakespeare (2nd Edition). Edinburgh: Act 3, Scene 2, line 14: p127.  
(Terrible referencing but I can't risk getting done for copyright. If writing an essay, and you need to reference, never write it like this. Always check to make sure what system you should be using, because there's all kinds of methods for referencing that trip people over. My university department even created their own referencing style which is used nowhere else, just to make students' lives more miserable it would seem.)

** _Ibid_. Act 3, Scene 2, line 59-60: p131.

*** _Ibid_. Act 1, Scene 1, line 112: p9.  
(You know, by the time I put the Word Doc. on this website, I've checked through it a few times, so present XOs is really hating on past XOs for not even making a slight note of what pages these were supposed to be on.)

 **A/N:** _Sorry, my hand slipped and my OTP happened._

 _I personally didn't study_ King Lear _at school. My sister did, though, and we liked to do read-throughs of her things to stick them better in her memory. We were going through the play when we thought:_ Oh, wouldn't it be funny if the Hetalia characters acted out the play. _I hadn't even started the first Gakutalia back then, but it certainly contributed to my inspiration of the school themed Hetalia AU, alongside the actual game. I studied_ The Tempest _, but my sister had gone to university by then, and I had no other Hetalians to act it out with me, ha ha. Even so, I couldn't help but think France would make a great Ariel, with England as Prospero, and Seychelles as Miranda._

 _The idea of having to collect snacks from the kitchen areas is completely based off of my own experiences as school. At first, none of us Year 12s knew where to get toast, or biscuits, so we'd keep running out in the first day, and be without for the rest of the week. It took a while, but then one girl's sister told her where to find the boxes, and life improved from there. We were a bit kinder as Year 13s- we told the next Year 12s where to find the boxes before they had even become Sixth Formers! I recall the pride of being the one to carry the box in Year 12, to waiting like a snake in the bushes to be one of the first to partake from the box by the end of Year 13. There would be days when we'd have free periods before break time, which meant you could collect the box earlier. I'd be with my friends and we'd all be saying, "Who wants to get the box?" and all of us were just too lazy to go and walk over to the kitchens._

 _Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and until next time! Thank you!_


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N:** _Hello, everyone! It seems I've finally managed to gather my life together, because I'm actually making weekly posts! Can you believe that's it already nearly May? I've only got a month of uni left, really, and then I have four months of blissful summer! First, though, eight exams... I'll survive. I always do, somehow._

 _They released the new Gorillaz album, Humanz! I love Gorillaz, so this is a very exciting time for me!_

 _Without further ado, the next chapter!_

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

* * *

 **A.K.**

When he had first entered the trapdoor at the back of the stage, Arthur had been a little wary as to what he was getting himself into. However, his second time round, he felt considerably more confident, knowing all he had to do was follow Lukas and Vlad down the trapdoor.

He had never noticed it in the past. However, he had never _looked_ for it in the past, and that seemed to make a huge difference. It wasn't even cunningly hidden – it was a small flap at the back of the stage that led down into a small room that must've been used for archiving some time ago, but was only now an empty, musty room. Vladimir and Lukas had stumbled upon the little room in the summer of Year Eleven, and had quickly established themselves within. Since no member of staff ever ventured into its depths, the pair of them could indulge in their secret club without the fear of being disturbed hanging over their shoulders.

Arthur had never expected it to be a club entirely devoted to Dungeons and Dragons.

He had been denied any participation the first time he'd sat down in that old, damp room, because Vlad had wanted him to understand the concept and to also draw up his own character before he contributed to their world.

He also had to learn all the jargon. Vlad was the Dungeon Master, better known as the DM, the game itself was shortened to D and D and imagination was the only limiting factor to the game. He'd left that first session almost enlightened, but also with the task of developing a little starter character to include within the game. There were some other terms which had, at first, completely baffled him. Six-D-four was a term Arthur had blinked at with a stunned expression on his face, until Lukas had politely (and patiently) explained that it was merely throwing four six sided die.

Stats were something Vladimir said he would organise once Arthur had decided upon his character. Now he had returned with his idea and was ready to tell the other two the character he had imagined.

"A warlock who specialises in the dark art of shapeshifting," he beamed, folding his arms and looking especially proud of himself.

"Shapeshifting's a difficult power to manage, because you need to keep a database of all the creatures you can morph into, not to mention their individual stats," Vladimir pondered. "But I actually really like that idea, so we'll roll with it."

"Oh, excellent," Arthur watched, excited, as Vladimir and Lukas set out the board along with the wide table they'd managed to drag down their trap door, piece by piece. "When can I get started?"

Vladimir held out a red, plastic playing piece. "You can start now, but I'd like an image of your character. I know this guy who makes the figurines and I want to get yours done as soon as I can."

"Oh," Arthur took the playing piece. "How much does it cost?"

"He's not cheap," Lukas admitted. "Think expensive collector's edition action figure. We're talking around… sixty to eighty quid, depending on complexity, clay usage, paint usage, firing, et cetera."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Arthur watched as they took two handmade characters that were skilfully crafted and couldn't help but compare them to his measly plastic piece. "I guess."

"Shall we begin?" Vladimir lifted his black hood over his head, the only light in the room being the dim, flickering candle.

"Naturally," Lukas copied him.

 **L.B.**

It was in times like these that Ludwig was grateful not to have Art. Whilst that had been a major disappointment to Fel - who seemed to have recovered immaculately aside from some bruising since his mystery fall - Ludwig couldn't have been more relieved. Rather than do that hateful subject, the Year Thirteen students with Buddies had a session of bonding. Ludwig wondered what humiliating ice breaker games they'd attempt to introduce, and how uncooperative the students would be towards it.

Germaine had unquestioningly remained by his side, whilst Fel had innocently swung his arms from side to side, talking animatedly to Michelle.

Ludwig's heart sank when he saw Mrs Denver appear in the common room where they were all assembled. The flamboyant Art teacher had a wide smile on her face.

"I can't stay with you all, because I need to monitor my class," she said enthusiastically. "But I'm leaving you with Ms Olsey. The task I want you to do is draw your Buddy!"

 _Not again_ , Ludwig thought, knowing he wouldn't do Germaine any justice with this pathetic exercise Mrs Denver seemed obsessed with assigning them. He would've liked to swap places with Kiku on this one, but it seemed he didn't have the luxury of doing so.

It didn't help that Ms Olsey was monitoring them. She was a large woman, not in width, but in stature, and looked more a pro-athlete rather than a librarian. With her bulging muscles, one did not simply _not_ return a book to the library. The last thing Ludwig would want was to be chased around by her. It had happened to Gilbert before, who lost a book over summer – it was a rapid introduction for novice flautists, as he'd taken an interest – and Ms Olsey had apparently chased him down the athletics track as punishment. Of course, Ludwig didn't believe that, but Gilbert was reluctant to delve into the actual details, and that was worse than his fake story.

He stayed close to Fel, so they could share a table with him and Michelle. He preferred to have someone to moan to whilst he struggled with the drawing. If it wasn't for the presence of Ms Olsey, then Ludwig would've been more than tempted to just skip this dull process.

He ended up sharing a table with Fel, Michelle, Tino and another boy who looked familiar, but whose name he didn't know.

"Well, this is nice, isn't it?" Tino beamed. "I'm not much of a drawer, but I can sure try!"

"I can't draw," Ludwig added lamely, just wanting to make sure to lower Germaine's expectations as much as he could.

"Neither," she admitted. "As hard as I try, I'm more a practical person, opposed to a creative one."

"Tino's good at drawing," the other boy said.

"I'm sure you are, too, Emil," Michelle nudged him in the ribs.

He instantly turned his head away from her. "It's not that I want to be good at art, but I honestly never got into it…"

"Oh, this is Emil," Tino gestured to the Year Twelve beside him. "It was really lucky we were made Buddies, because he's actually Lukas' brother."

"Oh, Lukas," Ludwig said. "Ja, well, it's nice to meet you."

"Hmm…" Emil pursed his lips, fidgeted in his seat, but said nothing in response.

Ludwig wasn't sure whether it was intentional rudeness, or if the boy was merely just bad at socialising.

"It's been so long since I've actually spoken to you," Tino admitted, glancing at Ludwig. "Since the Talent Show. Organising it was very fun."

"I agree," Ludwig answered.

"You know, they're holding a Lurve Hearts Charity Ball in about a month's time," Tino babbled excitedly. "Wouldn't it be funny if we had to organise _that_ as well?"

Ludwig raised his head to see Tino chuckling to himself. He hadn't even heard of the Lurve Hearts Charity Ball, even if it was a known thing to treat the Year Thirteens to it. If it was the same team of people working on it as the Talent Show, Ludwig had a feeling very little was being done to its production.

"Ja, it would be funny," he commented, even though his mind was suddenly elsewhere, delving on possibility.

"I think it would be super cool if Ludwig were to organise it," Fel suddenly sat up from drawing. "You did such a good job with the Talent Show."

"Oh, well, thank you," Ludwig suddenly felt a little embarrassed to have all these people complimenting him.

"It seems you're quite the administrator," Germaine commented from beside him.

"Hmm?" Ludwig glanced at her. "Ja, I suppose so."

He had not thought much about the Lurve Hearts Charity Ball upon coming back from the holidays, but the more he dwelled on it, the more Ludwig realised that he probably ought to find someone to go with…

 **Y.W.**

Drawing Yong Soo had not only been difficult, but it was also painful whenever he made a comment about a feature he'd never noticed about "Aniki" before. It was a miracle he was able to get away from him.

"Wanna catch lunch?" Alfred asked as they walked along.

"Oh, um, I said I'd eat with Ivan today, but you can join us if you like?" Yao offered.

"Ah, I'm good," Alfred shrugged, then glanced at Natalya. "Did I show you the hideout we discovered some years back?"

Yao drifted beyond their conversation, suddenly uninterested, because he _had_ promised Ivan earlier that he would eat with him. He desperately didn't want to lose friendship with the other boy, and knew Alfred was the more understanding of the two. When it came to people, Yao liked to pride himself into the belief that he was good at dealing with them.

Ivan was loyally waiting by the common room door, and smiled when he caught sight of Yao pushing his way through other students.

"It's honestly a maze in there," he grumbled, jerking a thumb to the roiling crowd behind him. "Should we go?"

"Oh, I'm waiting for Mei," Ivan said cheerfully. "She had some questions to ask about Year Thirteen, so she said she'd join us at lunch."

"Oh?" Yao glanced around. "Where is she?"

"She said she'd 'be a moment'," he said, as if reciting her words.

"I take it she forgave you about your creeper comments, then?" Yao sniggered.

"I was not _that_ creepy," Ivan looked embarrassed. "OK, I was kind of creepy, actually. I'd say I'm not forgiven, more like it's been purposefully forgotten, da?"

"Wow, does she really have to take this long?" Yao checked his watch.

"I'm not taking _that_ long," someone huffed, and he raised his head to see a girl ducking underneath another student's arm to reach them.

He had not expected Mei to make his heart trip around in his chest. Yao definitely hadn't expected her to be cute. She had long, straight black hair, and a little cat clip to hold some behind her ear. She was petite, only reaching around his chin – which Yao had always found was a rare occurrence.

He wanted to grab Ivan by the elbow, drag him down the damned corridor and furiously whisper: " _You never told me your Buddy was a cute girl_." However, Yao could not do that, because Mei had already walked past him with Ivan, and the pair of them were talking, and getting further away.

Ivan cast a glance over his shoulder. "Hey, Yao – you coming?"

Yao blinked, and mentally shook himself back into reality. "Yeah, of course."

He hurried after them, but couldn't help but look at Mei's silky hair, as well as the way she puffed her cheeks out when Ivan told her the work load in Year Thirteen was ridiculous. Yao didn't want to stare or be creepy (like Ivan had) but in truth, he had _no_ experience with girls. Francis had been right. Yao suddenly felt like the awkward teenager he was, because no words would come out of his mouth.

It was like watching a TV show, with two high school students talking to one another. Whilst he had Yong Soo, Ivan had been lucky to get Mei. It wasn't that he was jealous. He was probably more relieved. At least it had been Ivan who had screwed up basic conversation with her, rather than Yao.

Once again, he had to mentally shake himself. He had _only_ just met Mei, and the only comment she'd made towards him hadn't been exactly kind. Was Yao really after a kind hearted girl though? Mei was very pretty – in his opinion.

For once, Yao remained uncharacteristically quiet, merely listening to the conversation between Mei and Ivan.

* * *

 **A/N:** _I be droppin' them Love Bombs- L-Bombs? We'll roll with it. Also, "flautist" isn't spelt wrong. I never realised this, but Americans must say "flutist"? The amount of red lines I get confuses me, only to find is trying to Americanise me. I refute it thus! Only joking; I love you Americans really~~_

 _I've lost track of the inventory of characters I've introduced here, so I'm just going to provide the names of each minor character! I know a lot of you readers will be trained Hetalia veterans, but some of the characters don't even have unofficial fan names, so that's the reason I started listing everyone._

 _Vladimir Popescu_ : Romania  
 _Lukas Bondevik:_ Norway  
 _Germaine Fournier:_ Monaco  
 _Michelle Mancham:_ Seychelles  
 _Tino Vainamoinen:_ Finland  
 _Emil Bondevik:_ Iceland  
 _Gilbert Beilschmidt:_ Prussia  
 _Natalya Braginskaya:_ Natalya  
 _Mei Xiao:_ Taiwan

 _Until next time!_


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N:** _Hello, everybody! What a week it's been! I've been packing in as much revision as possible, because a week from now, I would've completed my first exam out of eight. I'll tell you more about that once I've done it, though!_

 _I'm going to try to keep posting, because it honestly doesn't take much time out of my day, and I rarely do revision in the evenings, just because I don't want to get too stressed. There will be times when I have exams Friday and Saturday, which means I might be a little slower when posting, but you'll at least have an idea why!_

 _I want to say thank you for all of the support in writing Gakutalia! I know I've been sketchy about posting at the beginning of the year. That was mainly down to stress: I had a lot of work on my shoulders, and it made me feel a little overwhelmed. I hope to get better over summer, although I know I've been much regular with my posting already, which holds a lot of promise. Just thank you so much, and I'm glad that the Gakutalia train is still in full steam!_

 _Quick note: there was an error when I posted this chapter, so I'm just re-posting it to make sure it went through!_

 _Without further ado, the next chapter!_

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

* * *

 **F.B.**

He managed to gather the two most important people for this operation. That wasn't entirely true. There were three people in the operation, and one of the main ones was not present – and for good reason. Francis had carefully organised this as far away from the music room as he could.

Elizabeta and Arthur had unenthusiastically joined him. Although mildly offended by his friend's reluctant behaviour, he was determined to aid Elizabeta in her issue.

"I should've known telling you wasn't a good idea."

Those had been the first words she'd muttered upon entering the random classroom he'd chosen for their discussion. They technically weren't allowed in classrooms during lunchtime, but since Francis had smuggled some packed lunches from the kitchens, any passing teachers would be easy to convince they were holding some kind of Year Thirteen meeting.

Arthur had almost refused to come. His line of reasoning had been that it was because Francis had come up with the idea, but since he didn't have anything else to do, Francis had forced him to come along.

"Alright, so I think we need to get Arthur up to speed on what's happening," Francis said.

"Hang on," Elizabeta looked indignant. "I never said I wanted Arthur to know about… you know…"

"Trust me," Francis smiled. "Arthur probably won't properly understand anyway. So long as he follows the plan and has a rough idea of what's going on, I think we should be fine."

"I don't even know what plan you're talking about," Elizabeta looked suspicious as she delved through the packed lunch for the sandwich. "Go on, Francis. What is it you want?"

"I want to at least be able to say you gave it a go with Roderich," Francis said.

"Wait, what?" Arthur looked surprised. "You're not a thing?"

"No," Elizabeta replied carefully. "Oh, you might as well know… I like Roderich, but I don't think he feels the same."

"Let me guess, the frog wanted to get involved with something that's clearly nothing to do with him," Arthur folded his arms.

Francis smiled. They were bickering and rejecting him now, but after his good ideas were brought upon them, they would soon understand he wasn't just another nosy student.

"I think we need to find a way to get Roderich to notice you in a romantic way," Francis said. "But in order to do that, we need to determine whether there's a chance he likes you."

"This won't work," Elizabeta said adamantly. "Whatever you suggest, I predict it won't work."

"Hear me out," Francis begged. "Trust me on this. I'm not a hoax, I do have some good ideas every now and then."

Elizabeta and Arthur leant against their respective seats, and watched him, expectantly. Francis hesitated, because this was a risky plan.

"Alright, for starters, I need to know you'll both cooperate, no matter what," Francis bit his lip.

"That only makes me more inclined to say no," Arthur folded his arms. "Spit it out, Francis, we don't have all day. In fact, to be precise…" he even had the audacity to check his watch at this point. "…we have twenty-five minutes. But I don't want to spend all of those waiting for you to start speaking."

"I think we need to give Elizabeta a pretend boyfriend," Francis said, and watched their eyes narrow.

"If this is an excuse for you to pretend to be my lover, Francis, then it's not on," Elizabeta stood, lifting her packed lunch and sending him a vicious look. "You can forget that."

" _Non, s'il vous plait_! _Wait_!" he cried, as she prepared to leave. "That wasn't my plan."

"Roderich would want to know names," she huffed. "And maybe even a photo, because he's nosy like that…"

"Is that not a good sign?" Francis smirked. "Why not take such a prospect to a whole new level, and pretend to date someone he personally knows?"

Elizabeta pursed her lips. "What?"

"No," Arthur scowled. "That's _absurd_ Francis."

"But it's for _Elizabeta_ ," Francis begged, knowing full well that Arthur had caught on to his plan. "It would be too odd if it was me!"

"I don't understand," Elizabeta frowned.

"Arthur should pretend to be your boyfriend," Francis beamed.

Both of the other students in the room sent him a pained expression.

"I know, it sounds ridiculous, but I think it can work," he said excitedly. "Roderich would be none the wiser!"

"And what if he's not interested in me?" Elizabeta's expression became sceptical. "Then what?"

"That can be something we deal with when it comes," Francis shrugged. "For now, we need to focus on possibility, not disappointment. What do you two say?"

"I don't know," Arthur looked uncomfortable. "I feel…"

"In some ways, I see where you're coming from," Elizabeta raised a hand to her chin and pondered Francis' idea.

"What?" Arthur said, worried.

"Well, Roderich doesn't know you like he does Francis," she continued. "You're not someone he talks to, or has talked to frequently throughout our years as a class, so it would come as a surprise, but also not be impossible."

"You can't possibly be considering one of Francis' whack-job ideas?" Arthur cried in disbelief. "It won't work. Roderich's smarter than this frog, so could outthink him any day."

"I think you're just being rude," Francis smirked, enjoying the discomfort this was causing his friend.

"It could actually work," there was a light in Elizabeta's eyes, but it suddenly dimmed. "The only thing is… we have to be willing. It wouldn't make sense if we weren't."

Arthur suddenly became speechless as she considered Francis' words. Victory was sweet, but it was even sweeter when it was against someone as pretentious as Arthur, who was "always right".

"How determined are you to gain Roderich's love?" Francis asked.

She paused, and he watched the thoughts moving around her head. Francis believed he was actually going to get away with this.

She held her head high, green eyes alight with passion. "I want to know. I need to know. But…"

The pair of them looked at Arthur. A scowl appeared on his face, and he opened his mouth to refuse – Francis could always tell when he was going to refuse.

"Do it for Elizabeta," he begged. "This isn't about me, Arthur, it's about her and Roderich! Don't be the one to ruin a perfectly good relationship."

"That's not what I aim to do," Arthur sighed. "It's just…"

"Don't you always go on about how much of a gentleman you are?" Francis wailed. " _Prove_ it, Arthur. _Prove_ you are the man you say you are. Help a lady achieve her goals and unite with the man she loves."

"Gentlemen don't date girls they're not actually dating," Arthur scratched the back of his head.

"It's not about you, it's about Elizabeta," Francis insisted.

"Besides, as it's only pretend, we only need to act when Roderich's nearby," Elizabeta added, much to Francis' relief – it seemed she was on board with this.

Arthur glanced between them, then averted his gaze, eyes cast to the ground. "Fine. Whatever. I'll do what I have to."

"Right," Francis became serious once again. "Here's the plan…"

 **K.H.**

He was late getting into lunch, so he was in a rush. Being the polite character he was, he'd opted to help Mrs Denver clear away the Art supplies. Without Fel and Ludwig there to keep track of time, he'd suddenly realised he was needed at the manga club soon, and would barely have time for lunch.

He was rushing down the corridors, almost at the lunch hall. Kiku wasn't much of a runner, so he already felt the cruel pains of a stitch developing in his side, and he could feel himself slowing. He hurried round the corner and collided with someone.

Fortunately, his reactions were quicker than his feet. He spread his feet apart and caught the person's elbows swiftly to stop the pair of them toppling down.

"I'm so sorry," he blurted out.

"You should watch where you're going, da?" Ivan and Yao stood to the side, watching him, as Kiku realised he'd ran straight into one of the Year Twelves.

He sprang back, embarrassed and awkward from his personal space having been abruptly breached.

"I'm so sorry," he repeated numbly.

"It's OK," she laughed. "I'm always in the way."

"No, I was running in the corridors, and wasn't watching where I was going," Kiku assured her. "I – I take full responsibility."

"If you were running, did you have somewhere to be, aru?" the tone Yao spoke in was surprisingly cold.

Kiku turned his head to see the other student with his arms folded, almost glowering at him. He knew they weren't on good terms, but that didn't necessarily mean they were on _bad_ terms. Perhaps Kiku had brushed Yao off one too many times?

"Oh, yes, I have a club to get to," Kiku rapidly glanced towards his destination that lay just beyond the girl's shoulder: the lunch hall.

"Oh, what club?" the girl asked, suddenly curious.

Kiku hesitated, knowing he needed to get some lunch or starve, but how long would it _really_ take to tell her?

"Manga club," he replied, still breathless from running.

"You draw?" she asked, interested, and he regretted telling her.

"Yes," he replied, glancing towards the lunch hall once more.

Did she notice the hurried flick of his eyes towards his destination, or was he radiating an air of impatience? Either way, she offered him a sweet smile and brushed past him.

"Good luck with your club," she beamed. "Perhaps I'll drop by some time."

Kiku blinked, surprised that someone would come to a club that had not seen an increase in members for some time now. However, with the hostile looks Yao kept giving him, and his need to get to his club meant he only offered a breathless, appreciative nod before he ran to grab a quick sandwich from the lunch hall.

It was only when he was in the queue that Kiku began to wonder who exactly she was. Since he didn't have a Buddy, he wouldn't know…

 **A.J.**

For once, he was earlier than Kiku being out of school. He wasn't used to waiting, so he preoccupied himself with playing games on his phone. He had brought his bike today, and it was propped against the fence beside him as he waited. He raised his head just in time to see Kiku heading towards him, pushing his bike alongside him.

"You ready?" he asked, and Alfred nodded.

"Hey, Alfred," he turned his head to see Natalya hurrying down the path towards them. "Where you going?"

"Round Kiku's," Alfred said.

"Oh," she seemed almost disappointed.

"Why?" he asked.

Ever since the coffee tub incident, he hadn't been able to look at Natalya in quite the same way. For some reason, whenever she stood too close, he would feel a wild beating in his chest, and he wouldn't be able to look her in the eye for fear of the heat rushing to his cheeks.

"Ivan's going into town because our father wanted him to get some paper and other stationary," she replied. "But I can't be bothered to do that."

Alfred hesitated, unsure of what to say.

"So, I was just asking…" she added.

"I would say hang out with me," he said carefully. "But I'm over at Kiku's. Doing… work."

"She can come," Kiku shrugged. "I don't mind."

Alfred had hoped to escape Natalya – but more importantly the weird things he began to feel whenever she was nearby. She paused, considered, then seemed satisfied.

"OK, then," she said.

"Do you have a bike?" he was almost desperate to get away.

"It would take a while to get to my house, but it's still within walking distance," Kiku suggested.

He felt bad for making Kiku walk. "You can share a bike with me."

"Share… with you?" she glanced at the one person bike.

Alfred propped it up and stood over the bridge, just in front of the seat. "If you sit down there and hold onto my shoulders, that can work."

"Alright, then," she climbed onto the seat whilst he balanced the bike, as Kiku mounted his own.

"You ready?" Kiku asked, again, and this time, Alfred nodded.

Natalya placed her hands firmly on his shoulders. He could feel one of her knees graze his hip and tried not to notice her right behind him. She was close enough to smell.

 _Cut it out, dude_ , he scolded himself, lifting both feet into the pedals and standing whilst Natalya remained seated. She moved her hands down to his waist and held on whilst he followed Kiku. _It's just Natalya…_

But that was the problem, wasn't it? That it was Natalya sharing his bike with him, rather than just another girl.

 **I.B.**

Natalya rode away on a bike with Alfred. He watched the three of them – Alfred, Natalya and Kiku – disappear beyond the school. He had his phone in his hand and was tempted to call her, but he knew she wouldn't answer.

So much for going into town with his sister…

As he headed towards the brand new car his father had bought him over winter, Ivan tried not to grind his teeth.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Thank you for another week of Gakutalia! Until next time!_


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N:** _Hello, everyone and sorry for the wait! I know this chapter is late, but there's a massive chance that none of you were notified about Chapter 12's release. If that's the case, maybe just pop back one and check if you've read the previous chapter. I had some problems posting it- when I originally posted the chapter, there was some kind of error, and I never got an e-mail to notify me about it. I was suspicious, so I thought I'd replace the chapter. All in all, I eventually deleted the chapter and re-posted it, yet still didn't get an e-mail, so I apologise for any inconveniences. I'm not entirely sure what happened, even to this day? Anyway, the next chapter is out now. If you don't get a notification again, and then read the chapter, maybe send me a PM or put it into a review and I can pass on the problem. If it's a one off, then even better!_

 _My exams have been going well so far! That's another reason for my late posting. I've had exams, and then something came up over the weekend that had me distracted over the evenings as well. The next chunks are about my exams, so the topics. There's only so much I know, but if you're a history buff and maybe want to hear about some areas of history you might want to read more about, then you might want to sift through the next few paragraphs. If not, skip through and enjoy Gakutalia!_

* * *

 _I had an exam on Friday, at 9:30, which meant I needed to get up at 7:30 if I wanted to be there on time... It was about Byzantium. For those of you who don't know, Byzantium was basically the successor of the Roman Empire in the East (the Franks are theorised to be the western successors of the Roman Empire). Byzantium itself was located in Turkey, but the Byzantine Empire spanned across modern France, some of modern Germany, England & Wales (not Scotland or Ireland), south Spain, north Africa, Greece, Turkey, Syria and some of Palestine during its peak under Justinian in the 6th century. In other words, it was huge. The Empire was greatly reduced to just Greece and Turkey by AD 750 during the Arab Conquests under the Rashidun and Umayyad Caliphs, and was eventually dissolved and conquered by the Ottoman Turks in the 1400s (although my studies ended in AD 843, with the dissolution of Iconoclasm). I'm currently reading a book called: "_Byzantium: Its Triumphs and Tragedy _" by René Guerdan. It's old (1954!), but very interesting. I'm sure there's plenty of other books on Byzantium that you can find, and if you're a student, you can probably get a lot of access to materials your school or university might have. If not, a library holds a wealth of knowledge. I'm usually a fan of Wikipedia, but there's only so much sites can tell you compared to a book!_

 _I think the exam actually went well. You have to write 2 essays in 1 hour and 30 minutes, so 45 minutes per essay. They're not long. The questions I picked were ones I had practiced from a previous exam paper, so that was really helpful. One was asking how Constantine I's reign impacted the Christianisation of the Roman World, and the other was how the 7th century changed the Roman World. 'Roman World' basically incorporated the Roman and Byzantine Empires, because the latter still viewed themselves as Romans. 'Byzantine' is just a term we've coined to differ between the two based on the ancient city's name before it was renamed Constantinople. There's a lot more to the course than what I've just said, so if you're interested in Byzantium, then it's worth reading about!_

* * *

 _My second exam was on Saturday, 9:30 again. Yes, we get exams on Saturdays. It's awful. This time it was about the Early Civilisations of Western Asia, or the Ancient Near East. The area I'm talking about is Mesopotamia, or the modern Middle East. This is basically where history began, with the earliest developing societies going as far back as 11,000 BC. I know there were homo sapiens long before that, but this was the period of time when nomadic customs began to break down and certain tribes were settling down to structure societies. This course covers mainly 7000 BC - 539 BC, which is too long to talk about in this author's note. I have lots of books sitting on my shelf concerning the ancient history of Mesopotamia, and I just haven't had the chance to touch them yet. It's horrendous, especially since I want to read them. In this module you cover a select number of time spaces. The Pre-Dynastic Period and Uruk Period cover civilisation to around 7000 - 3000 BC. They end with the development of Sumerian, the first language to be written down. I'll be studying that next year, so if I get good at it, I'll be able to read a language that's over 5,000 years old. Following that is the Old Akkadian Period, where a new language, Akkadian, takes over from Sumerian. The Ur III Period follows that, and then comes the Old Babylonian Period. There's the Kassite Period, the Hittites, the Neo-Assyrians and then finally the Neo-Babylons by around the 7th century BC. During their times, the Akkadian and Assyrian Empires were the largest empires known to the world. In fact, the Akkadian Empire was the first known empire to be formed (it's very likely the first ever, since prehistoric civilisations were nomadic). We learnt a lot about gods as well, until the eventually collapse of ancient Mesopotamian empires with the fall of the Neo-Babylons to the Persians. There's a YouTube video recently by 'bill wurtz' called "history of the entire world, i guess". If you listen to the part when humans are beginning to develop cultural items, he'll mention a "sweet dank valley" or "dank river valley". That's basically where this module is set. Some authors include Dunstan and Van De Mieroop, and there's also a large atlas available by Roaf._

 _I felt that exam also went well, luckily. It's also 1 hour and 30 minutes, but it's split into 4 sections. In theory, you're meant to spend 10 minutes on Sections A and B collectively. Section A shows you the Mesopotamian map and marks out 5 major cities that you have to label, as well as the Euphrates and Tigris (rivers). Section B consists of 7 short answer questions, each 1 mark each. For Section C, 35 minutes is advisable. You have to briefly analyse 5 images, and relate them to the time period and what context they may hold. Finally, Section D takes 45 minutes. You have to complete 2 very short essays, I'd say 20 minutes for each one. They're very brief, and you have 5 minutes to plan for both._

* * *

 _The most recent exam was one I had this morning. It revolves around the Early Civilisations of Egypt. It was this morning, 9:30, so_ another _early morning. They're getting tiring. Egypt is very interesting, and a lot of the things you can say about them revolve around their religion, which makes identifying the images and writing the essays easy. The period I study for Egypt ranges from 3000 BC - 332 BC, just after Alexander the Great has conquered Egypt and become pharaoh there. There's plenty of reading material for Egypt out there. I read something about Tutankhamun a while back- Pause. Do you Americans write 'Tutankhamen'? I say this because this website is trying to correct me.- Fun fact. Tutankhamun was born as 'Tutankhaten', because his father (I think?) Amenhotep IV recreated a new religion in Ancient Egypt based around the 'Aten' god. Kings named themselves depending on the most important god of the period, so Amenhotep IV renamed himself to Akhenaten, after the Aten god. For all you World Stars fans out there (which is probably all of you), you may recognise Akhenaten and Aten from the early chapter concerning Ancient Egypt. Tutankhamun returned to the previous deity, Amun, and thus changed his name back to the "-Amun" related names. This was the Amarna Period of the late 18th Dynasty. It's very interesting, and it's what this book from 1963 focuses on. It's called "_ Tutankhamen _" by C. Desroches-Noblecourt. Another two include "_ Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt _" by Rosalie David (2002) and "_ The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt _", edited by Ian Shaw (2000). Shaw's is a heavy weight book; the writing is small and there's a lot of it. There's also an atlas for Egypt, too, by Baines and Málek. Like the Mesopotamia one, they're part of a series. There will be plenty more material out there for your liking, but the Ancient Egyptians are definitely one of the most interesting of the early civilisations, alongside the Mesopotamians! Their mythology is a bit strange, though. Let's just say they invented fanfiction and not in a good way._

 _The exam for this was 1 hour and 30 minutes, and has 2 sections. The first half (45 minutes) is image analysis. We have to go into more detail with these compared to the Mesopotamian images. The other half is only 1 essay that we spend another 45 minutes on. The question was just right for me: it was something like "In what ways was religion used to legitimise kingship", or along those lines. The images were also easy to identify, so I think that exam mostly went well for me._

* * *

 _I have 5 exams left, and my next one isn't until Friday. It's about the History of Greece and Rome, and it's 3 hours long, so that one's going to be painful to sit through! I'll discuss it more closer to the time. I know I've gone on for a long time, but if I find an interesting historical book, I'll probably give it a mention. I have a lot waiting for me at home. There's one about Jerusalem, another about the Romanovs, and this interesting anthropological one that traces the development of homo sapiens. I started reading it, and I've just been thinking about it ever since I came back to university from the Easter holidays. I had to leave it behind, because I knew I wouldn't have the time to look at it whilst I was here, and that theory turned out to be completely true. I've just been up to my arms in revision, and I still haven't completed all the compulsory books I need to have read for my Roman Literature exam on the 20th or the Greek Literature one on the 25th, oops._

 _I wasn't going to write any more than I already have, but then I realised Gakutalia: LIITA had reached 1,500 views and I wanted to say a massive thank you to the support everyone has been providing the Gakutalia series so far. I don't know if I've already mentioned this, but I looked at Gakutalia: TFT and saw it had reached over 10,000 views in total. So again, thank you so much for the support and I hope to see and hear more of all of you across the rest of LIITA!_

 _Enough about me: I've spoken far too much sorry! Here's the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

* * *

 **F.V.**

It was no surprise when Ludwig approached him in form that morning with the news he had taken on board the organisation of the Lurve Hearts Charity Ball. It was an event that had been at the back of Fel's mind for quite some time now.

It was held for the students of Year Thirteen every year, and money paid towards the tickets covered the costs of catering, the venue, but also contributed towards a charity of the academy's choosing. It was the time of year when you least wanted to be single, because those who turned up alone were generally frowned upon, even if you turned up in support of the charity.

Fel intended to go, but with a pretty lady.

However, it was no surprise that Ludwig had taken the responsibility once again. His friend had always been one to take the reins and dominate the administrative field.

What was a surprise was that, during their first meet up in a classroom to discuss how Ludwig wanted this to turn out, Germaine had taken a full on interest in the organisation, even going as far as to declare she wanted to aid Ludwig in making the Lurve Hearts Charity Ball a success. Fel had silently wanted Ludwig to refuse – for some reason, he felt this was a personal thing, and frequently associated Ludwig as a solitary hard worker, putting in his full efforts without company. It was not right to say he was disappointed, but perhaps his heart sank a little when Ludwig shrugged his shoulders and deemed it acceptable that Germaine should share his interest, and that she could aid him with the event's preparation.

"I think Tino also wanted to help," Ludwig was explaining to Germaine as Fel preoccupied himself with nonchalantly checking for e-mails on his phone that didn't exist. "He and a few others helped with the organisation of the Talent Show."

"The Talent Show was good," Germaine commented. "It would be nice to have a little team of our own."

"Ja; say, Fel, would you like to help this time round?" Ludwig offered.

Fel often lacked commitment, and knew he was professional at procrastinating. He believed he would be a liability to Ludwig's event committee.

"Don't worry about me," he waved a casual hand. "Tino's good at art; I wouldn't want to interfere too much, as he knows what he's doing."

"Oh, are you sure?" Ludwig seemed almost disappointed.

"Yes," he said confidently. "Say… has anyone seen Kiku around?"

"I think he was talking to Miss Ronan about something," Ludwig said. "Check the Maths rooms? He might still be there."

"Alright, I'll see ya," he hopped off the table he'd been languishing on, and fled the room.

In truth, he felt a little awkward getting too involved with the affairs of preparing the events. He wasn't a very organised person; his morning routine was perfectly accountable for that. Tino's art was just an excuse. He was sure the Finnish student would be more than happy for them to compile a design together. Kiku had also been yet another excuse. He had no intentions on finding their friend because he was fairly sure he recalled Kiku saying he was collecting some kind of textbook, and that sounded too academic for Fel.

Instead, he would wander.

His feet brought him to the kitchen, where Emma just so happened to be toasting waffles, a bottle of chocolate sauce on the counter beside her. Fel's heart fluttered, recalling the last blissful moment he'd shared waffles with Emma being last term. She turned at the sound of the door closing behind him, and a smile spread across her face.

"I should've known you'd appear at the first sign of food," she said, as he approached. "Want one?"

"They smell really good," he peered past her, watching the waffles turn a toasted golden colour as they cooked.

"I take that as a 'yes', then," she flicked the lever and plucked the waffles from the toaster. "Have one."

She laid one closer to him, and he drizzled a considerable amount of chocolate sauce on them.

"Is this a routine thing, now?" he asked, biting into the spongy goodness.

"Maybe," she admitted. "I just came to loathe the school waffles. They're really very disgusting."

Fel didn't think they were _that_ bad, but understood her waffles were superior to all others, and that her fine tastes made it difficult for her to accept waffles she hadn't made.

"Can I make it a habit to have one?" he chuckled.

"I don't see why not," she said.

He glanced at her, and saw her face was serious.

"Really?" he blinked.

She nodded with a small smile. "We've been friends a while, Fel! Of course you can have a waffle."

He watched her turn her head back to the food before her, short brown hair bouncing as she did so. Content, he chose to stay with Emma for the rest of the break, whilst Ludwig and Germaine discussed the Lurve Hearts Charity Ball.

 **A.K.**

He and Francis wandered from their class, walking out into the open air and strolling down the long road.

"What have you got now?" Francis asked him.

"Free," Arthur replied. "I think I'll spend it in the library. I have an English assignment to do; Mr Reese does like to hand us work…"

"Tell me about it," his friend sighed. "I can't say I'll be doing that assignment until the day before it's due."

"Why not join me and do it now?" Arthur asked. "You have a Free as well."

"Hmm, but I'm meeting Lien," Francis sent him a wink. "She wanted to know some things about student life as a Year Thirteen."

"Understandable," Arthur shrugged. "Don't make her uncomfortable."

"Of course I won't," Francis chuckled, turning right, back into the school, presumably to his meeting place with Lien. "See you in Drama."

"Yeah, bye," Arthur lifted a vague hand and continued on his way to the library.

It was a scenic route. The library was surrounded by roses of an assortment of colours. A lot of them were white, which Arthur quite liked, and a few pinks and yellows stood out. They were all pretty and made the library all that little bit more welcoming. He reached for the door, just as someone else opened it and tumbled into him.

"Hey," he snapped, then noticed it was Peter. "Peter?"

His brother was pale faced and looked a little anxious. "Arthur."

Something didn't seem quite right. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine," Peter swallowed, and Raivis appeared just behind his shoulder. "There's an assignment we need to hand in, and we don't want it to be late."

"Oh?" he hastily stepped aside as Peter and his friend bustled past. "See you?"

"Laters," Peter called over his shoulder, almost running, and didn't even glance back at him.

Arthur watched him leave quizzically, before shrugging and wandering into the library, where the foyer was packed with students edging past one another. Peter and Raivis must've just had a lesson here, and had had to fight their way out. No wonder they had looked so flustered. Arthur parted the younger students as if they were the Red Sea, and strode through to start his English homework.

 **F.B.**

Lien was waiting for him in the Common Room. She wore a disgruntled expression of impatience on her face, but softened a little when she saw him approaching. Francis offered a friendly wave, and she lifted a hand in return, watching as he dropped down beside on the couch – and shifted away a millimetre.

"Salut," he smiled. "What did you want to talk about?"

"The workload," she said. "Is it a lot? What's it like compared to Year Twelve?"

"At this stage, you shouldn't be worrying about the workload of Year Thirteen," he frowned. "Concentrate on what's happening in Year Twelve."

"But is it a lot more?" she didn't seem inclined to relent.

He sighed. "Very well. I will only say make the most of Year Twelve and do as best as you can. That way, the pressure is less in Year Thirteen."

She nodded quietly.

"You're very serious, Lien," he said casually. "You should really try and have some fun every now and then."

"I do have fun," she insisted. "But work will always be one of my top priorities."

Francis itched the back of his head. "Well, that's the point, right? You're so focused on your work that it'll only put more pressure on you. I've got an idea to reduce the stress; why not come out with me this weekend and we go around the city or something?"

She opened her mouth to reply, then closed it, caution suddenly appearing in her eyes. "The city?"

"Yeah, to look around," he shrugged. "Buy some things, take some photos, find a nice place to eat…"

"Are you asking me on a date?" she tilted her head slightly, caution becoming curiosity.

Francis smiled. "Maybe I am. What do you say?"

"It's very kind of you to offer, but I have an Art project to do this weekend," she said. "It'll take up a lot of both Saturday and Sunday."

Francis wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. In the past, every time he'd asked a girl on a date, the answer had been a certain 'yes'. He was used to the ladies tripping over one another to get to him. Once people got to know him, sure, they could deduct whether they liked him or not, and sometimes a first date went horrendously. There was always at least one point in a woman's life when she saw Francis Bonnefoy and deemed him attractive. Yet here was Lien, only having met him a couple of weeks ago. She was already rejecting him, and for what? Some kind of drawing project, he had to presume. Never before had he felt so speechless; here he was, mouth dry of words, and his efforts in vain.

"Anything else you'd like to know about Year Thirteen?" he eventually asked, his voice meek, hoping to forget his rejection.

"Do we get more Frees?" she asked, cold and the rejection already a thing of the past to her – he was nothing to her, it seemed.

"Yes," he said, his spirit detached from the rest of him.

"Thanks," she lifted her bag from the floor and stood.

Francis nodded and watched her leave, gently swinging her rucksack over her shoulder and disappearing from view. He continued to stare at the door where she'd left, shock over his rejection forming gradually into amusement. Lien may have rejected him now, but he was positive he would be able to sway her onto his side. If Francis had his way, Lien would be head over heels for him by the time the Lurve Hearts Charity Ball came along.

He gently ran his fingertips along his stubble, smiling devilishly at the thought of the lovely Lien, the first girl to have rejected him so head on, falling irrevocably in love with him. He was the man of love in World Academy, and he most certainly would not finish Year Thirteen unsuccessful in his wooing of a woman.

The world had designed one purpose for Francis Bonnefoy whilst he lived, and that was to be loved by women and make them feel loved in return. Lien may have believed her work weighed heavier than her emotions, but Francis would surely teach her that academics weren't everything; there was a life beyond school that was so much more exciting, and he would be the one to introduce it to her.

With sudden determination, he rose to his feet, ready to fling his plans into motion, when he caught himself.

 _Watch yourself, Cupid_ , he thought. _You and Lien aren't the only love story you need to complete._

His eyes fell on Roderich who, on the rare occasion, had abandoned the music rooms for a hot cup of tea. With the next Drama lesson approaching fast, Francis could only be too excited for what was to occur.

* * *

 **A/N:** _I really hope the notification for this works. Thank you for your patience and until next time!_


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N:** _Hi, sorry for a bit of a late post! I've had a couple more exams this Friday and Saturday, so yesterday I was largely taking a break. Anyway, I have another two on Wednesday and Thursday, so unfortunately my break is short... I'll go into detail more about the exams in a second, but I'll first ask if anyone got the notification that Gakutalia came out? I got an e-mail this time, so I'm sure it did, so I won't need to take it to an IT person on this site or something. The exam section might be a little long (like last week), so if you want you can just skip ahead and see what you would rather read, haha!_

* * *

 _The exam I had on Friday morning was Greek and Roman History. It's 3 hours long, and it really sucked that I needed the toilet about halfway through that... It's split into three sections: A is multiple choice, B is an essay question on Greece and C is a Roman essay question. In theory, you get an hour for each section, but A took me 7 minutes roughly which meant I had plenty of time to write my essays and dick about (which, sadly, I did. I get fidgety after about 15 minutes, and I had half an hour left, so I drew a Mob Psycho 100 art style inspired bee). You get 33 multiple choice questions, and it's positively marked (which means you don't get marks taken off if you get something wrong). My code is that, if you don't know something, there's really no point sitting around at the beginning of the exam pondering your answer. Sure, take a moment to think it through, but an educated guess is perfectly fine and, if you leave time after the exam, you can always go back and spend the last bits mulling it over. The essays are the important part, because they're easier places to lose marks, in my opinion._

 _For the Greek History essay, I answered the question "What made the ancient Greeks 'Greek'?" By this, the question wants to know what was considered distinctively Greek amongst the ancient '_ poleis _' (city states) in Greece. They were all different, but Herodotus (one of the earliest historians) claimed there were 4 things that made you Greek: language, religion, culture and 'location'. That last one is a little sketchy, but I think he meant civilisation, considering the ancient Greeks were very quick to look down on other nations as barbaric if they didn't share the same lifestyles. Fun fact: the word 'barbarian' originated from the ancient Greeks, who claimed that other languages sounded like "ba ba ba ba". There are plenty of books to read on Greece, trust me. You can get some direct sources such as Herodotus with his_ 'Histories _'_ , _but don't take everything he says as literal, because there were a lot of cultural differences he tried and failed to explain. For example, he claimed there were massive ants that rolled sand into gold in the middle east, and it's quite unclear how he managed to come up with that. Hesiod is more literary than historical, and predates Herodotus to around the 8th century BC, around the same time as Homer, whereas Herodotus was writing around the 5th century BC, near the time of the Persian Wars. Hesiod writes about mythology in his_ 'Theogony _'. The Roman question was "Did Caesar want to be a king?", which I argued that, yes, he did, because he went very far in status for someone who didn't want to be king. For both periods we cover from around 800BC - 14 AD roughly with variations between the two. There's some neat Roman sources as well, such as Cicero, is salty enough to be my spirit animal, no jokes. Plutarch and Livy are some of the most well known Roman historians, even if their reliability is extremely jaded. Mary Beard recently came out with a book last year (2016) called '_ SPQR _', which is another name for the Roman Empire, and Tom Holland's_ 'Rubicon _' from 2003 is a very good read, in my opinion. For both Greece and Rome, Robin Lane Fox's_ 'The Classical World: An Epic History of Greece and Rome _' can be a little heavy, but definitely has the kind of information._

* * *

 _The next exam on Saturday was Roman Literature. I was really dreading this one, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. You have to write three short pieces in 1 hour and 30 minutes, so you spend 30 minutes on each. You have to write at least one commentary and one essay, so I did two commentaries and an essay. A commentary is basically pointing out the significance of a certain passage various other thematic points that hold relevance. I did them a lot during my A-Levels (last 2 years of school), so I was kind of used to writing them. The books we studied were: Ovid's_ Metamorphoses _, Livy's_ The Rise of Rome _, Virgil's_ Aeneid _and Tibullus'_ Elegies _._

 _Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of poetry, so I chose to avoid Tibullus like the plague, but when I read the actual thing it wasn't too bad. Still, poetry really isn't my forte, so I didn't want to do any questions related to that. I mentioned Livy before as the historian, so his was a historical account. Surprisingly, I did a commentary for him. I would've expected to have done the essay question for him. I studied Virigl's_ Aeneid _for A-Level, so I naturally did a commentary for that. I have mixed emotions about the_ Aeneid _. The first half is Odyssean and it's really good, then the second half is Iliadic and it's dull. I'll talk more on Homer for next week. My favourite character in the_ Aeneid _was definitely Anchises. I'm not sure why. I just thought he was a genuinely nice guy. I did my essay question for Ovid. His_ Metamorphoses _is an account of myths, and it's also a mockery towards Augustus, so when the essay question was "Is Ovid's_ Metamorphoses _anti-Augustan" that I needed to answer that one. It's actually pretty decent. Ovid's not a bad writer, although I've heard his_ Amores _is a little more questionable... I thought the exam largely went well, and if you feel like it, then I would suggest you give some of the texts a read. The_ Aeneid _can be heavy going, as can Livy, but the other two are a little more lighter._

* * *

 _Thank you for your patience for another week! I hope to post the next chapter on the normal day (Friday), especially as, by then, I'll only have one more exam and that's not until Thursday 1st June. Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia LIITA!_

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

* * *

 **A.J.**

It was a relatively boring lunchtime. Arthur had turned down the opportunity to hang out in the hideout because he had become oddly absorbed in the library once again, Francis had mysteriously told him that, as the God of Love, he had duties to perform, and Yao was just nowhere to be found. Naturally, as he had given up on his friendship with Ivan, he had not bothered to look for the Russian student. The hideout seemed to be his for the lunchtime, and he was more than willing to make the most of his time lounging around doing very little.

Shoving his hands into his pockets, he began his lonely descent towards the small forest where the hideout could be found. He whistled a tune to himself, because conversation was vacant in the air.

"Hey, Al," he turned his head and saw Natalya walking down the pathway towards him.

"Hey," he said, as she joined him.

"Where were you headed?" she asked, peering past towards the trees.

The hideout was a place sworn to secrecy. But it would be cool to impress her with it.

"Just around," he said vaguely, choosing to stick to the Beilschmidt code of keeping the hideout secret.

However, it would be really awesome to show off his little base on the school grounds.

"You live an exhilarating life," her voice dripped with sarcasm, as she raised an eyebrow and scrutinised him. "Have you been to lunch yet?"

He had not. He shook his head. There were crisps at the hideout, though. He kept it well stocked due to his frequent visits. Natalya would probably like the hideout. He could see her liking it.

"Neither have I," she shrugged. "Wanna go?"

He had hidden a BLT in the cooler left there. He had been looking forwards to it all day. What if he passed on the rights to the hideout to Natalya? He could test her now.

"Hello?" she waved a hand in his face. "You look really dumb just staring at me like that."

"Eh?" he made a noise of some sort, just to keep her listening.

She would think he was _really_ stupid if he started randomly testing her. Perhaps he should just show her? But what about the secrecy code?

"Lunch or not?" she asked, bored.

Ivan knew about the hideout, and he was no longer one of Alfred's friends. The secret was already blown. There would be no harm in showing Natalya.

"Hey, there's this cool place I know," he tapped her on the arm twice, before continuing on his way down towards the forest.

"Was that a 'yes' or 'no' to lunch?" she looked confused.

"Follow me," he ignored her grandly.

With a sigh, she followed. "You are _very_ lucky I'm coming right now, because the best food usually runs out by the time the second half of lunch goes round."

She joined his side and entered the forest with him. It was relatively cold, being only the third week in to January, but at least the snow had cleared up by now. Not a single trace of it was left, and it would soon be February, with Valentine's Day and… the mock exams.

Alfred's heart sank at the thought of them. Despite his sessions with Kiku, his Math abilities still seemed to be lacking, whereas Kiku was excelling as usual. He had no idea how the other boy managed all the work. He truly was a genius.

Following the all too familiar route, he located the hideout and pulled the ladder in place, offering for Natalya to go first.

"What is this?" she seemed a little unsure; he couldn't tell why.

"Go up and find out," he urged excitedly, almost childlike.

"Well, why don't you go first?" she pulled at her sleeves, frowning.

Alfred paused. "You don't like heights? Sure…"

"It's not that," she said, staring at his clueless expression, then shook her head. "Never mind."

Alfred moved past her and pulled himself up the ladder, hauling himself over the edge and standing at the top. He leant over the railings to look down at her, staring up at him.

"Is it safe?" she asked.

"We've fit five people in here before, including your brother," he smirked. "Of course it's safe."

"You might not be on good terms with him, but he's my brother," she began climbing up.

"Right, dude," he watched as she pulled herself over the edge and gazed around, adjusting her skirt as she stood.

"What is this place?" she asked, frowning.

"We just call it the hideout," he shrugged, wandering inside. "It's pretty neat, huh?"

"That doesn't really explain what it is," she followed him into the little room, with its bean bags and empty mattress and magazines and cooler.

"It's a hang-out place, a treehouse," he explained. "Gilbert Beilschmidt built it and passed it on to me. I managed to figure out the code he made to reach it. We used to go here a lot in Year 10, but it's been declining more and more throughout the years. I think I'm the one who comes here the most. I'm a bit sentimental about it."

"Hmm," she looked about the room.

She didn't seem as impressed as he thought she'd be. He wasn't sure why, but that lowered his spirts a little.

"Can we go to lunch now?" she asked, glancing at him.

A crushing weight landed on Alfred's shoulders. "Ah, I actually have a BLT here I was planning on eating. But I guess I can go to lunch with you…"

"You have food here?" she opened the cooler and lifted his BLT out. "Nice."

"Yeah," he opened a small cupboard and pulled out a couple of crisp packets. "It's an excuse to avoid the terrible school lunches."

"They're not that bad," she said.

"They could be better," he admitted. "How about you have half of that, we both have a crisp packet each, and then a soda?"

"My dad would kill me for eating crap like this for lunch," she smiled. "But it's too good to pass down."

The sudden possibility of having food in the hideout seemed to have helped her warm to it. Alfred found her smile contagious and held out a packet towards her.

"I actually prefer the Smoky Bacon," she slipped it out from his other hand – but that was fine, because he didn't mind Salt and Vinegar.

Throwing herself down on the mattress, she went about opening the BLT, violet eyes solely focused on that one task. Alfred took two sodas from the cooler and turned, kicking the lid shut. He tried to ignore the way her skirt had ridden up slightly, but he was teenage boy, and it was difficult. To distract himself, he focused on comparing the two sodas in his hands.

"Done," she sat up and held out his half of the sandwich.

He took it and gave her one of the sodas. He dropped down into one of the bean bags and the pair of them ate in contemplative silence. In his opinion, this was far better than the school lunches, and since she finished her meal in relatively quick timing, he could only assume she enjoyed it more as well.

"You know we were at Kiku's the other day," she commented, and he glanced towards her, crisps crammed in his mouth. "I didn't realise you were so behind in your Maths."

"I've never been that great at Math," he glanced away sheepishly.

"If you need some help with Maths between your sessions with Kiku, I can always help," she offered. "I'm not bad at it."

"Don't worry," he didn't like the idea of someone younger being better at Math than him.

"It's just that… exams are very important for you this year," she added.

"Yeah, I know," he said.

"Don't you care?"

He raised his eyes to see her giving him an incredulous look.

"Care?" he blinked. "Yeah, I guess."

"What do you want to be when you're older?" she asked. "You'll need qualifications."

He smiled smugly. "I already have them."

"What, you've been held back a few years?" she scowled.

"I'm gonna be a hero when I'm older," he explained proudly, sitting up and gazing out the window. "I'm going to accomplish things no one has ever dreamed of doing before, and I'll influence generations for years and years to come. My face will be known to the whole world, and I'll be one of the most famous people in the universe."

"Famous for nothing, then," Natalya finished her food. "Marry a Kardashian. If you can put up with the drama, everyone will know you."

Alfred bristled. "There's no being a _hero_ in that."

"You're dream is pretty stupid, you know?" she said coolly. " _Anyone_ can be a hero. It just depends on who's looking at you."

Alfred sat there, stunned.

"I'm off," she sighed, leaving her soda can on the floor. "You need to re-evaluate your life goals."

She gave him a hard stare, but left when he didn't say anything. Alfred frowned, listening to the swinging ropes as she went and then the silence that followed after it. _Anyone_ could be a hero?

What about _the_ Hero?

Alfred disagreed with Natalya. He believed only a few people could truly be heroes, and he saw himself as one of those people.

 **A.K.**

After a brief exercise encouraging them to use as much of the stage as possible, Mrs Ramsay had lined them all up and asked them the simple question:

"Who doesn't mind having a role in the end of Year 13 Performance?"

Naturally, he didn't mind, so he lifted his hand. Anyone who was being considered a place was noted down, and would be shortly informed of their position. That was currently happening right now, and they were all allowed to chat amongst themselves whilst Mrs Ramsay placed them in different roles.

"I'm definitely going to be King Lear," Alfred sat amongst them.

"You're still very sure about that, aru," Yao said.

"Of course I am," the American boasted. "I have the confidence a lead role needs. Besides, I've gotten a little better at reading Shakespeare since we first begun."

"Everyone else has, as well," Francis added.

"You guys are not in the mood, are you?" Alfred sighed. "Why are we so blue? It's three weeks into school now; we should be adjusted by now, for sure?"

Arthur was sure that _Ivan_ , or a _lack_ of Ivan, was the reason why all of them were so glum. He could see him across the room now, miserably standing with Toris and Feliks, hands in pockets, and staring wistfully out of the window. It seemed Ivan missed them just as much as he was missed. Arthur had to admit that his presence was definitely noticed. There was an absence amongst them that could only be filled by Ivan Braginsky. He was the worrier who was kind and simple in nature, but who could also turn out to make the wittiest remarks and humble even Alfred at times. Arthur missed him, a little, and Arthur was rarely the one to admit when he noticed the loss of someone's company.

He had really hoped Ivan and Alfred would amend their friendship with relative ease, but once news of the fight between them had reached his ears, Arthur suddenly had had little hope for them. Things hadn't improved over the weeks. It was incredible how good Ivan was at holding grudges, but Arthur had to assume that developed from being surrounded by sisters – you would need to learn to hold things against people in that kind of environment. Alfred was amazingly stubborn; always had been and always would be. The pair of them were like cola and Mentos. Things could get ugly very quickly between them.

Mrs Ramsay suddenly cleared her throat and wandered up to the front of the room, snapping her fingers to gain the attention of all students in the room. Once she had everyone's attention, she glanced down at the list in her hands.

"Here I have the student positions for the roles of our performance of _King Lear_ ," she explained. "Listen carefully for your name, as this will be the role you'll have until the end of March, when the performance is held."

* * *

 **A/N:** _Find out next week who will have what role! For now, I need to go and revise, haha! Until next time!_


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N:** _Sorry, I've been a very lazy human this week! I've been quite tired, so I'm glad I've only got one exam left (it's on Thursday, hooray!) so I can nearly go home and just relax for the summer. I'm sorry for the late post! Friday and Saturday have been very lethargic days for me, so it really is just exam fatigue that's bringing me a bit down. I'm OK, though; I recently invested in the first 2 books of the Dark Artifices series, the new stage of the Shadowhunter world by Cassandra Clare. I'm not sure if any of you have read her books, but I would highly recommend them. I'm only about 40 pages in, but I like Emma so far, and I really can't wait to sit down and read some more._

 _I had two exams last week but I'll keep things really brief. One was about 'Barbarians', which is what the Romans called the various ethnic groups around Europe from the 4th to the 8th centuries. That's the kind of area or time period I would suggest if you want to learn more about it. It's quite an interesting period, considering you see a clash of pagan and Christian ideals forming, but also the impacts on Gaul and Britain by Roman and European influences. I thought the exam went OK. The other exam was Greek Literature. I won't lie, I didn't finish the entire texts, which may be why I feel far less confident concerning this exam compared to all the others. Regardless, I'd say I passed. We studied_ _the_ Iliad _, the_ Odyssey _, the_ Oresteia _and Greek lyric poetry. I would definitely promote the_ Odyssey _and the_ Oresteia _the most. The_ Iliad _kind of drags on a bit. If you're a fan of poetry, then you might find the Greek lyric poetry more interesting than I did._

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

* * *

 **L.B.**

He sat quietly with both Fel and Kiku as Mrs Ramsay proceeded to lay down the minor roles such as officers and servants and messengers. His name didn't appear at all during that list. He doubted he would get a role if it wasn't minor; he lacked the charms of an actor.

"Roderich Edelstein, as Oswald," Mrs Ramsay said, and proceeded.

Ludwig glanced towards his distant friend and co-judge from the Talent Show. It only made sense that Roderich, a natural performer, would receive a part that had notable amounts of speaking.

"Ludwig Beilschmidt, as Albany," Mrs Ramsay declared, and he felt confusion weigh down on his brow.

"Ludwig, you have a _main_ part," Fel whispered furiously into his ear. "Isn't that great?"

"Great? Ja, I suppose," Ludwig blinked, slightly flattered he received a role at all. "But certainly unexpected…"

 **F.V.**

It was great hearing your friend had received a good role. He could imagine Ludwig on the stage, stoically performing his role with the duty of a soldier. He was proud to see his friend excel in the drama department.

"Feliciano Vargas, as the Fool," Mrs Ramsay said.

Sudden joy filled Fel's chest. He had been picked for a role in the play. He felt a wide smile appear on his face.

"Well done, Fel," Ludwig patted him gently on the shoulder. "You also got a part."

"Yes, well done both of you," Kiku smiled politely.

Fel glanced between Ludwig and Kiku. He couldn't help but feel bad that Kiku had been left out of both the Buddy system and the acting. He dearly hoped Kiku would get one of the remaining parts…

 **I.B.**

He was standing beside Feliks, who kept muttering to Toris on one side, and including him on pointless gossip about pretty much everybody in the room. It wasn't that he hated Feliks, but the Polish student had perfected the art of getting on his nerves.

"Ivan Braginsky, as Cornwall," Mrs Ramsay announced.

His heart suddenly picked up the pace, and he felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment as eyes turned towards him.

"Oh, well done, Ivan," Toris smiled supportively.

"That's, like, amazing that you got a part," Feliks added. "I totally want to have a go with all this acting stuff. I think I'd be pretty good at it."

"Yes," he added dazedly, still amazed that he had managed to scrape himself a part with his awkward acting skills.

"Feliks Lukasiewicz, as Cordelia," Mrs Ramsay said, and hesitant, confused gazes were directed towards them.

"O-M-G, I totally bagged myself a place as, like, a female lead," Feliks celebrated with a wide grin. "Gotta commemorate this with a selfie and I'm totally putting it on Instaounce."

"Why are you happy to be a female role?" Ivan frowned and glanced at him.

"Why are you happy to have a _male_ role?" Feliks gave him a questioning look.

Unsure of how to answer, he absently shook his head, just as Feliks quickly snapped a photo of the three of them. Bewildered by the other student's bizarre behaviour, Ivan deemed Feliks would probably perform his part just fine. He was, after all, a dramatic person.

 **K.H.**

It seemed World Academy had slowly begun to cut him out of all its systems. He felt a strange, hollow sense of abandonment as his friends tried not to celebrate in front of his eyes. He didn't want them to feel awkward about their achievements, and he wanted to feel proud of them, but the green eyed monster of envy kept clawing at his chest, bellowing to be free in all its bitter rage. A content smile remained consistently on his face, as he didn't want to show his unhappiness to his friends. They deserved to be happy, and they were probably better actors than him anyway. He needed to accept that his lack of self-confidence had probably lost him the position this time.

"Kiku Honda," Mrs Ramsay said, and his heart suddenly flipped as the other two rapidly turned their heads towards him. "As, Edgar."

"We _all_ have a part," Fel grinned. "Isn't that _great_ , guys?"

"It's very good," Ludwig nodded. "The three of us will be able to celebrate this as a moment shared together."

He could see the relief in their eyes that he was now no longer the only one of them without a placement in the end of year performance. A smile brought itself to the surface, and he actually felt happy to not have been left out this time. The envy was brutally pushed back, whilst he could be satisfied that he could have a part of something great in his last year in the school.

 **Y.W.**

He had been waiting for this moment for ages now. He had researched the play's synopsis, as well as all the characters. Admittedly, he was surprised that Kiku would get a part as big as Edgar; he had believed he wasn't the type to enjoy acting, but their years apart had dramatically changed Kiku, and it was safe to say they didn't really know one another anymore. Yao believed he was made for a part in this story. If he _didn't_ receive a part, he would be a little miffed, especially after all the compliments Mrs Ramsay had showered him with.

"Yao Wang, as Edmund," Mrs Ramsay sent him a small smile.

Yao's pride blossomed. He had received an interesting character, and for that, he was more than grateful. He couldn't wipe the smug smile from his face as Francis congratulated him supportively.

"I'm definitely in for King Lear now," Alfred said excitedly.

If there was one thing he knew about the character Edmund, then it was that he was Edgar's bastard brother. Glancing towards Kiku, he wondered if this play was somehow sent from above to show their shattering brotherhood and friendship.

 **F.B.**

He had been patient so far, and could only wonder if he would get a role. He was pleased Roderich had received a part, and hoped Elizabeta would as well. That way, the pair of them would be forced to work with one another in their acting. If only Arthur would get a part, then the interest would be added. It could work both ways, and if he, Francis, also had a role, then he could pull the strings from behind. If everything turned out as well as it could, then Elizabeta would have her dream come true as Roderich finally confessed his true feelings to her. His heart fluttered at the thought, because in truth, Francis was a sentimentalist, the type of person to cry with happiness at the end of the romantic film.

"Emma Peeters, as Regan," Mrs Ramsay said.

Francis glanced over his shoulder, and began to worry. For some bizarre reason, Feliks had been picked as Cordelia, and now the second female role belonged to Emma. Whilst it was nice to see others succeed, there was only one more female role left, and that _had_ to go to Elizabeta if Francis hoped to move his plans anywhere. He closed his eyes and prayed.

"Elizabeta Hédeváry, as Goneril," their Drama teacher declared.

Francis glanced across the room and met her eye as she sat beside Roderich, who was completely oblivious. They shared a smile as the great musician gently shook her shoulder to tell her he was impressed by her role, or something along those lines.

Now all that needed to happen was _Arthur_ getting a role. His eyes landed on his friend, who was completely oblivious to everyone and everything around him. His green eyes slid towards Francis. Or not.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," Francis tittered, glancing away.

"I don't know what you're thinking, frog, but stop thinking about it," he warned, and returned his nonchalant attention back towards Mrs Ramsay.

Francis smiled to himself, amused by his friend's lack of awareness as to what went on his mind.

"Francis Bonnefoy, as Kent."

Surprised, he glanced around.

"Well done, aru," Yao grinned. "We both got good parts."

"It's as if you knew it was going to happen," Arthur pondered, slightly amazed.

"Dude, good job," Alfred slapped him on the back. "But wait until she calls out _my_ name for Lear."

There were two roles left, and Arthur needed one. Francis hoped he would, as he glanced back towards Roderich and Elizabeta, who were unaware of his watching them.

 **A.J.**

He was aware that the spotlight would soon be on him. Amazed that he would get the lead role for the final performance at World Academy, he sat up straight and allowed arrogance to fill him rapidly. Sure, Natalya had dimmed his day down with her anti-Hero comments, but his role as King Lear would undoubtedly pick it up once more.

"Alfred Jones, as…" Mrs Ramsay began.

This was his moment. He could only imagine his friends' expressions when she announced he was the main role.

"Gloucester."

His heart plummeted. Alfred frowned. Who the Hell was Gloucester? He was not _Lear_ , that was all he needed to know. Embarrassed, he didn't want to ask her if she'd made a mistake. He was so sure he was going to be King Lear, so why _wasn't_ he?

"Well done, aru," Yao said. "You're my dad."

"Great," he forced a smile.

"You don't look very happy," Arthur frowned. "Gloucester may not be Lear, but he's still an important role."

"Just not the lead," Alfred decided to sulk.

"Fine, whatever," Arthur shook his head, and gave up.

Alfred wallowed in bitter self-pity. His day had been consistently crap, and this wasn't helping. Bitterly, he accidentally made eye contact with Ivan, and that made his day worse…

 **A.K.**

He was oddly proud that his friends had managed to excel in Shakespeare so well. All of them had a part, _even Alfred_ , and would probably be spending more time hanging out as a group because of it. He was rather glad of that, because it meant he'd be able to spend more time with Ivan.

But thinking about their roles, it was like Mrs Ramsay had planned this…

Yao, being Edmund, was adversaries with Kiku, who was Edgar. Their characters were strangely fitting. Francis and Elizabeta both had significant roles, which meant they would probably be able to devise their plans against Roderich effectively. He wasn't sure why Feliks was Cordelia, but since he was small for a guy, and looked relatively feminine, Arthur wasn't about to be critical. He was glad that Emma, who didn't always stand out, had managed to get a good role for the play and, although Alfred wasn't happy about being Gloucester, their loud, ignorant attitudes suited one another very well.

And Ivan was Cornwall. Arthur allowed the pieces to fall into place. If Alfred was Gloucester, and Ivan was Cornwall, then…

Arthur's eyes widened, just as Francis shook him on the shoulder.

"Arthur, that's incredible," he cheered.

"You can read minds?" Arthur gawked.

"Eh, what, aru?" Yao frowned.

Alfred scowled and looked away from him.

"Wait, what happened?" Arthur frowned.

"Arthur, _you're_ Lear!" Francis cried. "You should be celebrating. Did you not hear Mrs Ramsay?"

"Oh? I'm Lear?" he blinked. "That's… rather nice."

 **A.J.**

"And you know what he said after that?" Alfred scowled. "He said it was ' _rather nice_ ' to get the main part. What the Hell? Dude should've been jumping up and down to get the role."

"He _did_ deserve the main role," Matthew said awkwardly. "He's very good at reading. And he's also a very strict actor. I think Mrs Ramsay was right in choosing Arthur for the lead role, eh? You should be congratulating him, Al, not-"

"And you're supposed to agree with me, as my brother," Alfred shot him a dark look. "Geez, Matt, I only ask for the simple things."

He got into the front seat without letting Matthew reply.

"How was your day?" their mother asked.

"Pretty go-"

"Meh," Alfred groaned.

"Oh, that's a shame," she frowned. "Wanna stop for doughnuts?"

That picked up his mood considerably. "Do I ever?"

* * *

 **A/N:** _Thank you for your patience once again! I've been wanting to get this out, but it's very hard to just get on board with writing away when I've just been feeling so sleepy all of the time. I don't think the warm weather has been helping, aha! It makes me tired. Believe it or not, but it actually reached 27C on Thursday (around 81F for you American lovelies 3) which rarely happens in the wonderful land of tea and scones. And get this: the one day I'm out, and I didn't even think I was out for long, I got sunburnt. Not even 30C, and I got sunburnt. It rained yesterday again, but the weather seems indecisive between rain and sun at the moment, classic May._

 _Anyway, until next time!_


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N:** _It's official! I've finished my exams and can now enjoy my summer. I'll be going home soon, but I'm currently in the process of cleaning my room and preparing to move out of my flat. I need to have it all finished by Monday night, and then I'll never be in student halls again! Don't get me wrong: halls are a great way to meet people, but it's frustrating when it's noisy and you have to be up early, and the rooms are always a_ little _bit grotty, even from the moment you move in. I can't believe I've finished my first year of university! I already feel so much more experienced, even though I know there's so much more I need to learn (such as cooking. That's going to be a hard one, considering I'm a rubbish chef) and I'm looking forwards to the challenges ahead!_

 _If I'm honest, it makes high school look easy... but not for the Hetalia boys! Also, a quick and massive thank you to everyone who has read this Fic so far! I hope you're all enjoying it! If you feel like it, leave a review- I love replying to people and seeing what you all have to say about what I've written. Pride and joy fills my chest~ so thank you for 2,000 views! It's really amazing that so many people have clicked on this story! Thank you so much for the support, and I hope to write so much more in the future!_

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

* * *

 **F.V.**

He was awoken by the sound of the phone ringing. It trilled around the house, insistent and demanding, but also right beside his ear, where he usually left it before he dozed off late into the night. Groaning, he shifted and tapped on his alarm clock, which usually wasn't set on a weekend, and still wasn't now.

"Somebody fucking get that," Lovino groaned from somewhere in the house.

Fel sat up just as his older brother threw open his door and pointed towards the mobile device beside him, droning away relentlessly. Yawning, Fel reached for the electronic and looked upon the caller with bleary eyes. It took his mind a few moments, but he quickly registered Michelle was calling him.

"Oh, crap," he fumbled for the answer and held it to his ear. "Hey."

"Oh, Fel!" she sounded surprised. "I was just about to hang up – I haven't woken you up, have I?"

Fel thought for a moment, formulating the right words to say in his mind. "No worries, I've been awake for a bit."

"Ah, good," she laughed breathlessly. "I can be a little scatter-brained at times, so I've called people early in the morning before, and they haven't appreciated it in the slightest!"

Fel wondered what she'd called him for.

"Oh, but this isn't why I called you," her tone jumped all the time, keeping him alert and listening. "I wanted to know if you were free today."

"Today?" he yawned. "Should be."

"Great, because I was wondering if you wanted to come out to the mall with me?" she asked.

"The mall?" his mind processed it. "Sure."

"Oh, excellent," she sounded delighted. "I'll meet you there at ten."

Fel was about to answer, but she disconnected the call. Lovino folded his arms and raised his eyebrows.

"Who woke me up and why?" he demanded.

"My Buddy," Fel explained, and his brother suddenly snorted with laughter. "What?"

"You have a Buddy?" Lovino cackled. "That's hilarious."

"Is it?" Fel frowned.

"Yeah; they're always this annoying brat from the year below who whines and insists their life is much harder than yours," Lovino said. "Or they think they're smarter than you and constantly try to outdo you in everything."

"How do you know?" Fel asked. "You never had a Buddy."

"Thank God for that!" Lovino snickered. "But Antonio did, and his Buddy made his life a misery. Do you remember Fausto Esteves?"

Fel shook his head.

"Yeah, I didn't think you would," Lovino said. "Couple years older than you, and was constantly out to get Antonio in everything he did. Gil and I didn't get a Buddy."

"Makes sense," Fel said.

"Who's your Buddy?" he asked. "Will I know him?"

"No, you won't know _her_ ," Fel explained patiently. "And I'll have you know she's a lovely girl. I'm meeting her at ten in the mall today."

Lovino's jaw had dropped open.

"What's wrong with you?" Fel smirked as he stood.

"You got a _girlfriend_?" his brother stared.

"We're not dating," he shrugged. "She's my _Buddy_."

"Buddies usually don't meet outside of school," Lovino sounded sceptical.

"Well, I don't remember initiating a relationship with her," Fel grabbed his clock and checked the time. "I'm sure I would recall that."

"You need to get ready, then," Lovino said. "You need to be there early."

"Huh?" Fel saw the time was seven-thirty. He had plenty of time.

"You're always late, but being early is a man's courtesy," Lovino tore the warm sheets away from him. "You need to impress her."

"I told you, it's not a date," Fel complained, reaching for his sheets to defend himself against cruel coldness.

"Not a bloody date…" Lovino shook his head. "Don't give me that shit. _Make_ it a date."

"She's not in to me," Fel worried. "She probably wants to spend the day as friends, getting to know one another."

"I'm sure she has plenty of male friends in _her_ year," Lovino said. " _Carpe diem_ , little brother of mine; you won't regret it."

 **I.B.**

Mei called around nine in the morning and asked if he wanted to meet up that day. The call was accompanied by an apology for her cool behaviour at first, and Ivan was grateful she was able to put aside their strange introduction. Gladly, he had accepted her invite – they would meet at an Italian pizza parlour in the mall for lunch at one, so he had a lot of time to think about what to wear. As it was a weekend, Kat wouldn't be busy with work at university, so, sitting downstairs in his pyjamas, a bowl of cereal in front of him, he gave a call, and waited for her to answer.

"Little Vanya," she cooed, upon answering. "What is it Big Sister can help you with? You can ask me _anything_."

"Well…" he began, thinking the sentence through before saying it.

"Oh, how is Tallie doing?" she gushed. "And Pappy? Also, what about all your little friends? How are they?"

"Hmm, I had an argument with Alfred," he shrugged. "We're not so close anymore."

"You can't just _drop_ people, Vanya," she gasped.

"I know," he shifted in the seat, tapping the spoon gently against the edge of the bowl. "But he forgot my birthday, then refused to apologise for it, and one thing led onto another, really… It's OK; I hang out with Toris, and sometimes Eduard…"

"What about the others?" she asked sympathetically.

"I didn't want to make things _awkward_ , and Alfred's still with them," he explained. "It's not _them_ I'm angry at. I hang out with Francis and Yao on a Saturday sometimes, and although I don't see much of Arthur, I know he understands."

"You're not _sad_ , are you?" she sniffed.

He regretted telling her these things, sometimes. "Oh, don't cry, Kat. No, I'm fine. Very happy actually. Natalya's doing good as well; it's a little awkward, because she's Buddies with Alfred…"

"As long as he's nice to her," Kat said.

"I think he is – she hasn't said anything," Ivan frowned, spoon halfway to his mouth. "If he does something, he'll have me to answer to, that's for sure. Pappy's also fine. His favourite movie was on TV last night, so he wanted me and Natalya to stay with him and watch it. It was pretty boring, but don't tell him I said that, da?"

"No, no – but do _you_ have a Buddy, Vanya?" she asked. "I had a Buddy, but I can't remember her name."

"I have a Buddy," he smiled. "That's actually why I called you."

"Oh?" his older sister sounded amazed. "You want advice from _me_?"

"Yeah, because I got off to a super bad start with her, and now we're making amends," he explained. "She's invited me to have lunch at the mall with her, and I don't know what we'll do after that. Hang out, I presume."

"Do you like her?" Kat asked.

"Not like that," Ivan said. "But she's nice."

"And you want to be presentable?" she asked. "I'm so proud of you, Vanya, having the courage to ask your big sister for some advice!"

He regretted calling her. "Yeah?"

"Don't wear too much cologne – girls hate that – but wear some," she instructed, and he had a bad feeling. "Comb your hair, but don't gel or style it. Be yourself. You know that nice jumper you have? Wear it with a nice shirt, because it really suits you and makes you look casual, yet smart. Nice pair of jeans and shoes to boot – _not_ trainers."

"Right," should he have been listing this down? Trainers didn't seem _that_ bad... but maybe they were?

"Oh, also, there's something I left behind that I don't really wear much anymore, but I think you'll love it," she pondered.

"What is it?" he wondered why Kat believed _anything_ of hers could fit him.

"It's in the top drawer right beside my bed, if I so do recall," she continued. "I actually think you'll love it much more than I ever did."

"What is it?" he repeated.

"A scarf, little Vanya," she said brightly. "To keep you OK from the warmth – and above all that wear a jacket, because we don't want you catching cold."

"OK," he said.

"Also, don't be late!" she begged. "If you're making amends with her, be a little early, or just on time."

"OK," he said.

"And don't be embarrassed if you suddenly find you have _feelings_ for this girl and want to ask me for some _more_ advice," she laughed melodically. "Your big sister is always willing to help."

"Kat…" he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I _love_ you," she chirped. "Can't wait to see you and our sister's _cute_ little faces again."

"OK, da…." he smiled. "Love you, too."

He finished his call and finished eating his cereal, before deciding to take his sister's advice in everything she'd said. He didn't want to leave Mei waiting, and he felt confident that he would be able to compensate for his strange behaviour at the beginning.

 **A.J.**

He was at Kiku's today, having another Math session. He felt he wasn't getting anywhere, and frustration was tugging at him from all directions. It was… frustrating?

His mind was elsewhere as well. Had he upset Natalya the other day? She had become suddenly very angry, abruptly leaving despite their moments of comfort with one another. He liked spending time with her, and was glad they'd been put together as Buddies… He didn't want to find he'd suddenly messed up their friendship. Was it his comment on Ivan? He didn't think Ivan could ruin things without being present, but it seemed he'd managed it.

"Alfred, please pay attention," Kiku begged. "We have only just over a month before our mocks, and I want to see you getting a B at around that time."

"You're ambitious," he remarked.

"And _you_ should be as well," Kiku replied. "This is _your_ grade we're working for. Sure, it benefits me as revision, but I really want to see you getting something out of it."

"I'm trying," he rubbed at his temples.

"Are you stressed about something?" Kiku set his pencil down. "Usually, when I find I'm stressed, I can't work as efficiently."

"Yeah, I'm a little worried about my Buddy," he groaned. "I think I upset her. She was quite angry but I don't know what I did."

"Don't worry about it now," Kiku assured him. "Speak with her on Monday and apologise for your behaviour."

"But I don't know what I'm apologising for," Alfred sighed.

"Just say something like this: 'hey, I'm sorry if I upset you last week, and I don't want this to blah blah and so on'," Kiku said. "If she's reasonable, she'll understand that you want to remain friends."

Alfred nodded, absorbing the guru's information. Kiku had a young looking face – he hadn't changed much since his arrival in Year 9. OK, perhaps that was a lie. He certainly looked more _mature_ , but Alfred wouldn't assume he was seventeen, nearly _eighteen_. He acted older and experienced beyond his years. There was something sagely about him that made Alfred trust the advice he gave. Nodding, he drank in his words and instantly felt his worries ebb away. Natalya was more rational than Ivan; she would understand where he was coming from and would probably forgive him of whatever trespassing he did.

"May I ask the context of her anger?" Kiku asked.

"I was talking about how I wanted to be a hero," Alfred felt a little embarrassed telling Kiku this. "I don't know; she told me everyone's a hero and that it shouldn't be treated like a career, basically."

"Well, it's not a career," Kiku said blandly.

"Dude, Clark Kent? Bruce Wayne?" Alfred smiled. "Both heroes for a living."

"And what about in their daily lives?" Kiku returned the smile. "I honestly think 'Batman' and 'Superman' are subtle metaphors to say _anyone_ can be a hero. And that's true; firemen and doctors save lives, teachers help students through school, politicians sometimes work in the interest of their _country_ , and your parents make you the person you are today. Heroes are everywhere; it's about the action, not the title."

"So, when she asked me what I wanted to do, and I said hero, that upset her?" Alfred blinked.

"Is she angry or frustrated?" Kiku asked. "Perhaps she wanted you to see her perspective, and you really didn't. I don't think she's _angry_ at you, but maybe disappointed. What do you want to be?"

"I don't know," he admitted.

"Hmm…" Kiku picked up his pencil again. "Well, we're not here to get philosophical. We're here for your Maths grade, and we really need to get a move on."

" _Carpe diem_ ," Alfred sighed, picking up his own pencil, although _Math_ wasn't really his idea of that…

* * *

 **A/N:** _I try to wrap things up nicely._

 _A quick note: I think I might have been the only person who_ didn't _realise this, but having been in the fandom for about... 2 years, maybe, I begun to notice people were calling Ivan/Russia "Vanya". I got really confused, thinking there was an alternative name for him other than his official one, or if it was an AU of some kind. Lo and behold, I decided to actually use google to find my answers, and "Vanya" is a nickname for "Ivan". At first, I was like, "How is a nickname longer than the name, ha!?" but then, rather than remain ignorant, I chose to actually take a look at the Russian alphabet, and it's the same length, if not shorter. You learn new things each day._

 _I wanted Katyusha (Ukraine) to have these cute names for her siblings, so "Vanya" and "Tallie" came to mind! I don't know about "Tallie" in a Russian or Belarusian, but it sounded a lot cuter than "Nat", which is what most people might nickname Natalya to._

 _I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, and I'm so glad to have finally completed my exams. I'll be getting my results in two weeks, so I'm extremely nervous about that! I have a confession: I find Gakutalia easier to write in the warm weather! I feel summer somehow inspired it, so I hope to release some very good chapters from now on! Until next time!_

 _Fausto Esteves:_ Portugal


	18. Chapter 17

**A/N:** _Hello, everyone! I'm posting an extra chapter to A) celebrate my finishing my exams, and B) I returned home yesterday and that's something for me to also commemorate! I got two reviews from guests, so a quick thanks to both of you, as I can't directly reply with a PM! Thank you all for the support and love you've had for Gakutalia, and I've finally begun my summer holidays, which won't be ending until the end of September!_

 _I haven't done this in a while, because I'm really inconsistent, but: a massive shoutout to **totallyignorable**. You've been so great with reviewing Gakutalia: LIITA, and the support is just so wonderful and inspiring, so thank you so much! _

_Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

* * *

 **A.K.**

It was nearing midday, and he had the house to himself. His parents were out shopping, and Peter had hurried off on his bike with Raivis to spend the day with him, as youths tended to do. Therefore, Arthur had the house to himself, and he intended to make the most of it. He was settled down, and had been for some time, watching TV, when the front door opened – he heard it.

"Hello?" he called out.

"It's just me," Peter said.

"Back so soon?" he was half watching TV, his eyes flitting to the doorway, expecting his younger brother to appear.

He didn't, but instead he heard footsteps go into the kitchen.

"Peter?" he called out. "Did you have breakfast?"

"Yes, but I'm just getting some snacks for me and Rai," he heard the rustling of packets and the closing of cupboards.

"Don't take too much," Arthur warned. "You don't want to make yourselves sick. I thought you guys were on your bikes; when will you have time to eat?"

Peter finally appeared, an impatient expression written into his pursed lips. "Yes, Arthur, we're going to stop eventually."

"Where is Raivis?" he craned his neck to try and see his brother's friend.

"Outside waiting for me," Peter replied bluntly. "Anything else?"

He wondered where this attitude had come from. "No?"

"Good, because I don't want to _keep_ him waiting," Peter headed back for the door and back into the kitchen.

"I said don't take too much," Arthur yelled out, because he wasn't in the mood for getting up on this fine Saturday lunch.

There was a silence.

"Peter?" he called.

"What?" his brother replied, agitated now.

Arthur's brows furrowed. "Is something wrong? You seem angry."

"Because you're _annoying_ me," he heard Peter jump down from… a chair? A counter?

"Are you climbing _furniture_ , Peter?" Arthur sighed.

"No?" Peter sounded confused.

"What are you doing, then?" Arthur asked.

"Getting food," his brother snapped.

Arthur listened to hear the zipping of his rucksack, more rustling, and then zipping again.

"How much do you have there?" he asked.

"A chocolate bar and crisps each," Peter replied.

"Right," Arthur said. "What about some juice? You'll want some juice."

Peter appeared in the doorway again, lugging what looked like a heavy rucksack. "Rai has drinks."

"That backpack looks _stuffed_ ," Arthur commented. "Are you sure it's just one each for you two?"

"Absolutely," Peter scowled. " _Search_ it, if you want?"

Arthur couldn't be bothered. "I believe you."

"I'm off again," Peter announced, retreating from view once again.

"Peter?" he called out.

"What do you _want_ , Arthur?" he groaned, wandering back to the doorway.

"Stay safe on the road and look out for cars," he said. "Also, ring your bell to let pedestrians know-"

"I know how to ride a bike, jerk," Peter scowled and left the room.

Arthur sat up and glowered at the door. He heard the front door slam shut, as he struggled to his feet and walked to the window. He only saw the glimpse of Peter on his bike, leaving. Raivis must've just been out of view.

All the talk about food had made Arthur surprisingly hungry. He padded across the kitchen and opened the cupboard where junk food like crisps were kept. He narrowed his eyes at the sudden depletion in food. Peter had _definitely_ taken more food than he'd said. The question was… why?

 **F.V.**

He had arrived early, upon Lovino's instruction, and waited for Michelle to arrive at the meeting point, the fountain, which she did. She was dressed in a pretty blue dress, and had her long, dark hair tied in ribbons. She looked very summery, save the tights she wore and the coat. Fel smiled as he caught sight of her, and watched her avert her gaze briefly as she approached.

"Hey, Michelle," he beamed. "Where do you wanna go?"

"Um…" she trailed off and glanced around. "I dunno…"

Had she not thought in the least about what she had wanted to do?

"Catch a movie?" she suggested, and Fel nodded.

That sounded like a good idea to him. The pair of them strolled through the mall, until they reached the cinema, with its gentle stream of people wandering in and out. There was a cute, cartoon movie which, although not particularly mature, both of them seemed to warm to, and that became the object of their choice. He wondered why Michelle had been so eager to call him out on this weekend trip. To him, it seemed awfully out of the blue, but who was he to question her want of company? Perhaps she had been lonely?

He hadn't had time to text Ludwig or Kiku about this. He'd been too busy getting ready, and Lovino was fussing over him. He believed his brother was slightly proud of him; there had been something in his eyes that had convinced Fel this was a brother to brother moment concerning women.

It wasn't that Fel didn't like Michelle – she was very pretty – but he doubted she would ever feel anything like that for _him_. He could see himself not being her type, quite easily.

They watched the film and laughed with one another. He felt wonderfully at ease; there was something about Michelle that was relaxing. He could feel like himself around her. At one point, the pair of them shared a glance during the film, and although it was dark, he could just about see her lips curve into a smile. An unfamiliar warmth had arisen in his chest from that.

 **I.B.**

He went into Kat's room once he was dressed and opened the drawer she had suggested him to go to. He saw something beige, and carefully lifted the piece of fabric from its grave. There was something about the softness that called to him as he pulled out a surprisingly long scarf from the shelf. Awed, he held it and wrapped it round his neck, comforted by its warmth and how well it fit him. It was long, very long, but as he was tall, that didn't matter. Confident in his appearance, he strode downstairs and shrugged on a jacket.

His father was in the kitchen, eating breakfast and reading the newspaper. He raised his head and seemed to take in Ivan.

"Is that your scarf?" he instantly asked.

"No, Kat gave it to me," Ivan admitted.

"I gave it to her," his father shrugged. "Suits you better. Don't tell her I said that."

"OK, da," he frowned.

"Are you out today?" his father asked. "You look surprisingly smart. Who are you meeting?"

"Girl from school," Ivan angled himself towards the front door.

His father rested his paper down and turned his seat to give him a look. "A girl from school?"

"We're friends – nothing like that," he insisted quickly.

"Right," his father assessed him. "Well, you look presentable. Don't be late."

"OK," Ivan opened the door. "I'll be back later."

"Have fun," his father was staring straight ahead, rather than at his paper, as he closed the door behind him.

Ivan strolled down to his new car, unlocked it, and stepped into the driver's side. Driving had been strange at first, but he'd finally gotten the hang of it. He was pleased to say he was a rather good driver. He carefully extricated the car from the driveway and made his way to the mall. He was in good time; early, just like he should be and-

-his palms were sweaty.

Alarmed, Ivan wondered why he would be nervous. Perhaps it was the chance he would do something weird again? He began to fret for the entire journey, until he finally pulled the car into the parking lot and retreated to hastily wipe his hands on his jeans. It was just Mei. Once he was out of school, he would never see her again, unless they became friends.

He locked the car, pulled himself together, and was just about to hurry to the mall when-

"Ivan! You're here!"

He turned, eyes wide, and saw Mei climbing out of a car with a man he assumed was her father at the wheel. His heart panicked at the terrifying glare the man was giving him, but Mei was completely oblivious. She wore a thin jacket and looked a little cold as she hurried over; her straight, dark hair was lovely, falling loosely around her face – although it would be far too creepy to compliment her. He was just glad to not have overdressed.

Mei waved her father goodbye, and joined his side, walking towards the mall.

"I'm so hungry," she gawked. "This place is just really great."

Ivan wondered what the purpose of this meeting was. He was fairly sure most Buddies didn't have meetings outside of school, but if Mei wanted to hang out, he was in no position to deny her friendship. Besides, Ivan really needed some friends, as his were currently falling apart.

They arrived at the pizza place, were seated and ordered food.

"So, how's your week been?" she asked as they waited.

Stressful. A total pain. Inconvenient. Miserable. Strenuous. There were all sorts of words running through his mind, but he honestly didn't want to say the truth.

"Alright," he nodded. "I have a part in the Year 13 end of year performance."

"Oh, what?" she asked.

"I don't know if I'm allowed to tell you," he said, then shook his head. "I'll tell you anyway, da? We're doing _King Lear_ , and I'm Cornwell?"

"Cornwall," she corrected. "I've read it. You're the _baddie_."

"The bad person?" he frowned. "I didn't think Mrs Ramsay disliked me…"

"It's a _role_ , Ivan," she laughed. "She probably just thought you could play him well. He doesn't show up _that_ much."

"That's alright, then," he said cheerfully. "What about you?"

"My week's been pretty ordinary," she admitted. "Nothing much happened."

"Very unexciting," he smiled. "That's school for you."

"Say… I did have a question…" Mei suddenly twiddled her thumbs.

"Hmm?" he leant back as food was served.

"Who was that dark haired guy the other day?" she asked.

"The other day…" he frowned.

"When we were going to lunch," she prompted.

"Oh, that was Yao," Ivan nodded with a smile.

"Yao," she smiled to herself.

"Yao Wang," Ivan said. "He's a good friend of mine."

She nodded mysteriously with a smile, but Ivan had his suspicions.

"Want his number?" he offered.

He watched her face heat up like fire, cheeks turning pink and eyes alighting with embarrassment. She fidgeted in her chair and shrugged.

"Just tell him I gave it to you," he brought up Yao's number and showed it to her. "He'll probably remember your name."

She nodded, eyes wide, and she added his number to her contacts. Ivan felt slightly proud of himself. And Francis believed _he_ was Cupid! He felt like he'd done a really good deed all of a sudden.

This even explained why Mei had wanted to meet him.

 **F.V.**

The movie finished and the pair of them ate at a burger bar. He was a rather gourmet eater, but Fel was content to munch his way through greasy food. Every once in a while was fine.

After the meal, they wandered around the mall, nosing in shops and eventually got themselves a stick of chocolate coated marshmallows.

"It's been a good day," he told her, and watched her seem to brighten at his words.

"Yeah," she agreed.

The pair of them halted to a stop, just in between a pizza parlour he liked to go to with Lovino, and a suit shop he wanted to walk in when he was rich and successful.

"We could… do it again sometime?" he offered, and watched her eyes alight.

"You'd… want to do that?" she smiled shyly.

She was very cute.

"Yeah," he turned his body towards her.

"Because, you know… Fel," she swallowed. "I… I really like you."

Fel's heart began hammering in his chest.

"And I wasn't sure how to say it," Michelle blushed. "But… as you said… I'd very much like to see you again."

Fel closed his eyes, because natural instinct dictated what he was about to do. There was a slight pause, and then Michelle's lips touched his.

This was Fel's first kiss.

* * *

 **A/N:** _And_ that _is the end of the chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it, because I'm now laying the foundations for the Drama Building, which will hopefully become the most dramatic building in the world. Please visit it. Also, on the Master Sword- I mean, scarf; ordinary scarf. It occurred to me that I've_ never _explicitly said Ivan is wearing a scarf at any point, even during the first book. I actually checked, and the only two people to wear scarves in this series are Yao and Kiku. It's up to you whether Ivan was adhering to school rules and didn't wear a scarf, or if he wore a sneaky neck-warmer tucked under his blazer, aha!_

 _Until next time!_


	19. Chapter 18

**A/N:** _Hello! Just pushing the weekly chapter out, which I hope to do on a regular basis from now on. I hope everyone's had a good week- I have! I've got my Prosecco beside me and the Last Leg is on, and I've been reading '_ Lady Midnight _' from Cassandre Clare's 'Dark Artifices' series. I really love her as an author; she's so good at creating characters! Also, we share a birthday, and I'm always happy to find others who share my birthday!_

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 18**

* * *

 **L.B.**

He was standing, looking at the spreadsheet with quiet, stoic Berwald, when Fel rushed into the room, a wide, goofy grin on his face. He'd been so late to registration that morning that Ludwig hadn't seen him, and they had had different lessons in between that time. Now, during this lunchtime, they were finally able to speak. He noticed his friend's irregular mood as soon as he entered the room, giddily hopping from foot to foot and twisting his hands around his fingers.

"Fel," he nodded towards his friend. "Is something wrong?"

"Not at all, Lud," Fel flopped down on the floor beside him, eyes falling on the plans in front of them. "Are you busy?"

"I can still listen," he said, then paused and awkwardly met eyes with Berwald. "Unless this is a private conversation?"

"Nah, Ber can hear it," Fel rolled onto his stomach. "Where are the others?"

"M'tt's is ill, T''no's on his way w'th Em'l and Lukas h's a club," Berwald explained. "'nd call me 'B'rwald'."

That was probably the most Ludwig had heard him speak this entire year, but he was going to roll with it, because he was desperate to hear what Fel wanted to tell him. He wasn't a gossip, but he had never seen his friend like this before. Was he feverish? Had he caught something from Mathias?

"Alright, Ber," Fel drew in a breath. "I went out with Michelle on Saturday."

"You should've let me know if you were going out," Ludwig said. "I'd have brought Germaine."

"Actually, I'm glad you didn't know – no offence to you, Lud – and Michelle asked me to spend the day with her," Fel gushed. "Anyway, so we went to see a movie and eat lunch…"

He left it hanging there.

"Go on?" Ludwig prompted him.

Fel inhaled deeply, a sloppy smile appearing on his face as he rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling in a dreamlike state. "We kissed."

Ludwig did a double take as Berwald glanced between them, his expression impassive and giving nothing away.

"We kissed, and now I _think_ we're going out," he gushed. "Lud, I have a _girlfriend_."

He wasn't sure what to say. He had expected it to take longer for Fel to commit himself to an official relationship. It seemed he had misjudged his friend.

"That's… good, ja?" he blinked.

"Well, _duh_ , Lud," Fel propped himself up on his elbows. "I have a _girlfriend_. Just before _Valentine's Day_ and the Luurve Hearts Charity Ball. And Michelle's super sweet; I texted her this morning and she answered straight back."

"Weren't you supposed to be getting to your train instead of texting her?" Ludwig frowned.

"Well, that was probably why I missed my train this morning," Fel gave him a pointed look. "But that doesn't matter, because she cared enough to _answer back_. I'm seriously the happiest man on this planet right now."

"Good for you, Fel," Ludwig nodded, hoping Michelle would help him organise himself.

"You should get a girlfriend, Lud," Fel smiled at him. "There's just something so weightless about being in love."

"I'll find someone when I do," he bent his head over the spreadsheet once again.

Just then, Tino arrived, breathless and red faced, with his Buddy, Emil, lingering a couple of steps behind him, on his phone. Ludwig smiled as Fel proceeded to spread his good news to Tino and Emil. Immersed in his work with Berwald, he barely registered Germaine enter the room and approach.

"I have a venue booked, three catering companies that sound good, and three themes that I think we should look into," she explained almost immediately.

Hazily, Ludwig raised his head and saw her loaded with a small folder. "What's that?"

She knelt beside him. "It's to keep all our files in place. Also, it's the contact details and information that I gathered in my searches."

"You went out of your way to do this?" he noted. "Thank you."

"Not a problem," she opened it and flicked through.

"We'll take a look at the venues together; I want Lukas here to test the catering companies and Tino's the one to talk to about décor," Ludwig explained. "Mathias will do all the phone calls when he's here tomorrow, and have dates arranged. You've done well getting all this information together."

"What are you two doing here?" she leaned over to take a look.

"We were trying to get a design together," Ludwig admitted. "Unfortunately, myself and Berwald aren't the most creative of people…"

"Neither," Germaine admitted. "But I do know that girls will _not_ want blue for their dance. We're thinking red, pink, white and gold."

Ludwig beckoned Tino over, and the other student looked relieved to have escaped Fel's crooning over his phone and every text Michelle sent him.

"I'm needed?" he smiled.

"This is Germaine – I think the pair of you have met?" Ludwig said, and they nodded. "She's been helping out with arrangements and has several things laid out in her mind. Go through the designs with her and bring something up together."

"Fabu," he rubbed his hands together. "Let's take a look."

Ludwig watched as everything began to fall into place. The Luurve Hearts Charity Ball would appear upon them before he knew it, and they would certainly have everything ready for it.

 **A.K.**

He descended the ladder, into the small, candlelit room. In the privacy of this other world, he was so much more satisfied. He stepped down and turned, to see the others hunched around the board.

"Hey," he said, and the pair of them turned.

"Arthur," Vlad grinned. "Guess what we have?"

He returned the other boy's smile when he saw Lukas hold up a delicately painted figurine. Approaching, he took it with care, and watched his imagination come to life.

"We got you a wolf to start with," Lukas handed that to him as well.

"Thanks, guys," Arthur looked astounded. "How much is all this?"

"The figurine is as I said, around eighty," Vlad said. "The wolf, we decided, could be multipurpose, so we've decided to split the cost between us. Fifteen for that."

"Oh, excellent," Arthur sat down between them. "I have the money for the cloak."

"Oh, thanks," Vlad took it, as Arthur donned his robe.

"How have your weeks been?" Arthur asked, rolling up his sleeves and peering over the board.

"Pretty average," Vlad shrugged. "My brother's such a little twat. He's always droning on about things I don't care about. Other than that, nothing has happened in my life."

"Neither," Lukas admitted. "Gratz on your part as Lear, by the way."

Arthur swelled with pride. "What can I say? I love Shakespeare."

"I've never had someone from the drama group hang out with me before," Vlad said nervously. "I didn't realise you were the type to get on stage and perform to everyone."

"He was in the Talent Show, Vlad, and he was _good_ ," Lukas glanced at him. "Of course he's a performer."

"I'll admit, my stage life is only something that's arisen this year," Arthur said, admiring every inch of his new figurine. "Shall we begin?"

"Absolutely," Vlad shuffled through the papers he used to document the last stage they were at. "We were just doing a Prologue on how you came across us."

"The Order of Magic I belonged to was sabotaged by a cult that practiced demonic arts," Arthur recalled. "Due to my limited magic, I had to flee."

"And upon discovering we were strong warriors on our individual quests to seek better lives, the three of us agreed we all fought in the name of justice, and sought to bring down each of our enemies," Lukas finished.

"Excellent," Vladimir rolled the dice. "Move eleven steps forward."

Arthur watched as his character, currently the lead, moved their group ahead. He landed on a golden square.

"Oh, Fortune," Lukas breathed.

"The three adventurers find a river that leads into a forest that's filled with mushrooms and the cries of unfamiliar animals," Vladimir closed his eyes. "As the three of them were extremely thirsty, they stopped by the river for a drink. Just then, an elf emerged from the forest, her pale blue hair falling past her waist in waves and curls and a circlet of silver adorning her head. She offered Rahir and his companions to come with her in the forest and spend the night in her kingdom, endorsed in the luxury of the elven tradition. What does Rahir decide to do?"

Arthur thought for a moment – Rahir was his character. "The elf is obviously of high status, due to the circlet on her head, but she's not the queen, so probably isn't trying to use us for the sake of her kingdom. Therefore, Rahir accepts her offer, and treats her courteously."

"Hmm, Vathek is a little cautious, because of his previous experience with elves, and chooses to hang at the back of the line," Lukas said wearily.

"Jokan follows the leader," Vlad said.

The three students proceeded to continue their adventure in the fictional world and kingdom.

 **A.J.**

He was on his way to meet Natalya, when he accidentally bumped into Ivan in the corridor. The Russian student pursed his lips and sidestepped him, brushing him off like he was nothing.

"Ivan, wait," he turned then, and silently hoped the other boy would find it in his heart to at least humour him.

His prayers were answered, because Ivan turned around with a scowl on his face. However, he was still there, and willing to hear Alfred out.

"I know we're not on good terms, but please…" he swallowed. "Do we _have_ to be _enemies_?"

Despite his anger at Ivan, he had barely seen him in the past couple of weeks. Although there had been some hateful stares and spiteful comments, Alfred wasn't entirely sure if there was any feeling behind it anymore. At some points, he wished the five of them could hang out again like they had in the past, but then he'd chide himself he was being too farfetched. He and Ivan would only argue again. They were poison to one another.

But that didn't mean they had to _hate_ each other. He was perfectly content to drop any charges he held against Ivan, because he hadn't felt anything particularly brutal against him as of recently. He hoped Ivan felt the same, but if he didn't, then scorn each other they must.

Ivan rolled his neck and sighed. "I guess so. But we're not friends, Alfred. Unless you're willing to admit you're in the wrong, da?"

That was a little biting, but Alfred took it well. "No. So, we're not friends. But I can live with that."

He hoped that had stung back. Ivan displayed nothing to indicate if it had.

"Yep," he said. "Same."

"Well done on your position in _King Lear_ ," he said, somehow the pair of them falling in step, as they headed in the same direction.

"You, too," Ivan said. "I haven't read the play."

"Neither," he admitted.

The two boys looked at each other. There were jokes Alfred wanted to make, and he hoped Ivan wanted to make some witty comment, but they said nothing, and instead looked straight ahead once more.

"Cornwall," Ivan said. "That's my role."

"I'm Gloucester," Alfred replied, and they reached the common room.

"Goodbye," Ivan nodded, and broke away from him.

"Yeah," Alfred frowned, knowing Ivan wouldn't look over his shoulder at him.

He didn't. Somehow, that disappointed him.

"Hey."

He turned his head to see Natalya approaching from the kitchen. She glanced questioningly between him and Ivan, but said nothing.

"You needed something?" she asked.

"Yeah," he walked into the kitchen and she followed.

"Are you OK?" she sounded wary.

"I wanted to apologise for the other day," he said, turning to her.

She tilted her head. "Hmm?"

"You seemed mad at me," he itched the back of his head.

"Oh," she paused, and thought back. "I'd forgotten about that."

"You're not mad at me?" he blinked.

"Not really," she shook her head. "It was just annoying to listen to you prattle on about your dreams on being a DC or Marvel hero. You need to grow up."

He opened his mouth to protest, but she nudged him gently on the ribs with a smile.

"I'm only joking," she said. "Now that I think back on it, it's pathetically charming that you still dream the same as an eight year old. I may have overreacted the other day, so I'm sorry, too."

He watched her. "OK."

"Easy, huh?" she laughed. "I hate drama, so I'm honest and blunt. We have plenty of time to kill. What you wanna do?"

"Hang out," he said almost instantly, then felt a sudden wave of embarrassment and broke their gaze.

"OK," she said. "You want tea?"

"Coffee, thanks," he looked back at her, relaxing as he watched her busy herself with coffee and tea.

He noticed she had tied her hair back today.

Natalya looked very pretty.

* * *

 **A/N:** _It's all going well for Fel, but what about Al? Thank you for your patience and I hope everyone has a good week! Until next time!_


	20. Chapter 19

**A/N:** _Hello, an early post! I forgot to say last chapter that I'm going on holiday tomorrow, actually (15th), which is also the day I receive my university exam results! I'm posting this now because I won't be able to on Friday, but I should be back by the 23rd to make the next regular post. Other pointless news is that I really hate earrings. It's gone a bit wrong, because I bought a new pair, and when I tried to put the old pair back in it... failed. Horribly. I won't go into details. Now I'm going to have to appeal to my mum, who will most likely gloat because she didn't like the new earrings. Sigh._

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 19**

* * *

 **Y.W.**

He was in the Common Room when Ivan excitedly seated himself with him. He had never seen Ivan in such a mood, his violet eyes wide with anticipation. They were spaced away from everyone else, secluded in their own world.

"Good news here," he announced.

"What, aru?" Yao asked, mildly curious by Ivan's sudden display of emotion.

"Do you remember Mei?" Ivan asked.

 _Your attractive Buddy? Why, yes I do, Ivan…_

"Yeah?" he nodded, dreading if something had happened between them – he would never steal a friend's girlfriend.

"She wanted your number," Ivan grinned.

Yao was trying to remain neutral, but couldn't stop the surprise appearing on his face as he laid eyes on Ivan. "What, aru?"

"She wanted your number," his friend repeated, his expression becoming increasingly smug.

"A-and did you… give it to her?" he asked, cautious.

"Of course," Ivan shrugged. "Why? You don't want her having your number?"

"No, aru, I _do_ want her to have my number – thank you for that, aru," he nodded. "She likes me?"

He nodded. "She remembered you from the other day. I think she wants to have lunch as a three again sometimes, although she hasn't mentioned it. I was more than happy to help, because I wasn't sure how you really felt about her."

"Well, I think she's an attractive young woman," he nodded.

"If you didn't know, she hasn't texted you, though," Ivan began to ponder.

"She probably didn't want to creep me out," Yao admitted. "Girls are funny, aru, but I completely understand. When the time comes and we get to know each other more, I'll humour her and ask for _her_ number."

Ivan nodded like the helpful sidekick he was.

"Thanks, aru," Yao suddenly felt proud of himself. "Looks like I have someone to go to the Charity Ball with."

"Oh, gosh, you're right," Ivan frowned.

"You don't have someone?" Yao asked. "You gonna go?"

"If I don't have anyone, I don't see the point," Ivan said.

"Francis and Arthur will be there, and I doubt either of them will have anyone to go with," Yao forced back his increasing smugness. "If it's for charity, you can hang out with them."

"True," Ivan nodded.

"Besides, I'll need as much moral support as I can get," Yao said. "Just because Mei agrees to go with me, doesn't mean I'll have the confidence to keep that up, aru."

"So… you need support?" Ivan nodded thoughtfully.

"That exactly," Yao smiled. "You need to arrange a time when she can have lunch with us again, aru. I can get to know her in that time."

Ivan nodded, holding onto his ideas. Yao felt immensely impressed with himself. Not only had he recently bagged the placement as Edmund, he was now suddenly in line for a girlfriend. And not just _any_ girl. It was _Mei_ , with the long, silky dark hair and the cute cat clips she used to pin it back, whose attitude was fiery and with spirit, but who could be just as cute and charmingly shy when it came down to it. The more he learned about her, the more Yao decided he liked her. And he couldn't _believe_ she liked him back. But here was Ivan, telling him Mei had asked for his number. He couldn't feel more proud of himself.

"Also have some gossip," Ivan said casually from beside him, texting someone.

"Hmm?" Yao liked gossip.

"I saw Fel and that Michelle from the year below with one another," Ivan said. "On Saturday. I think they're a thing."

"Oh," Yao rubbed his chin. "Any reason why?"

"For starters, they kissed," he said. "And secondly, have you seen the guy today? He's almost shooting out of the roof."

"They kissed?" this was news to Yao – he expected Fel to stay a virgin until he was forty.

"Yep," Ivan said, then quickly added: "I wasn't watching, but they were outside the restaurant Mei and I ate at."

"OK, aru," this was gossip indeed.

He would certainly use it if Fel became his enemy.

 **K.H.**

He was waiting outside when Alfred hurried through the gates, shouldering past some younger students as he did so. He broke out into a wide smile, rolling his bike towards Kiku.

"You ready?" Kiku climbed onto his bike.

"Absolutely," Alfred boarded his, and the pair of them soared away from the crowd of students that accumulated once school was over.

They rode on in silence until they parted fully from the student body. Kiku liked to take a quiet route home. Although it was a little longer, it was worth avoiding the road, with all its roaring cars and unpleasant scenery. This offered a good view of vibrant, green trees and solitary peace that only nature could provide.

"Your advice worked, Kiku," Alfred commented, and he glanced over his shoulder to see the American student wore a wide grin on his face. "Natalya and I are totally cool now, dude."

"Oh, that's good," Kiku smiled, glad to see his friend – for he could now consider Alfred a friend after three weeks of frequent tutoring – was relieving himself of his stressful situations.

"Also, the strangest of things happened today," Alfred said – and left it there.

He and his group really did live dramatic lives.

"What?" Kiku asked, giving in to the pause.

"Ivan and I have sort of made amends," Alfred said.

"Sort of?"

"Yeah, we agreed not to be enemies, but also to disagree," Alfred shrugged. "It's not like we're friends or anything, but neither of us have the strength to hate one another anymore."

"That's good," Kiku said. "I think?"

"No, it's great," Alfred nodded. "Especially since I'm Buddies with Natalya."

"What has Ivan got to do with that?" Kiku's brow furrowed.

He heard Alfred sigh behind him, and waited for his response. It never came.

"Alfred?" he prompted, giving in again.

"I think I _like_ her," Alfred said. "I think she's really pretty. That means I like her, right?"

"I guess so," Kiku wasn't particularly sure how to determine Alfred's feelings for him.

"Well, if I like her, then I don't want Ivan to _hate_ me, because then he won't be badmouthing me to her," Alfred said.

"I'm sure he doesn't do that," Kiku couldn't imagine Ivan acting so petty.

"He can be so unbelievable," Alfred scoffed. "Anyway, I want to see where things go. I think I'll leave it a while, then maybe ask her to the Charity thing and see if she says 'yes'."

"Taking it slow is a good idea," Kiku nodded.

"That's how you'd go about it?" Alfred asked.

"Absolutely," he replied. "Rushing into things will usually end in disaster."

"How can you tell if a girl likes you?" Alfred asked.

"I'm not really sure," Kiku admitted. "I haven't had much experience with girls."

"Hmm?" Alfred frowned. "You go to school with them?"

"I only came here in Year Nine," Kiku glanced briefly over his shoulder at him. "Before that, I'd been in an all-boys school for about five years."

"Harsh," Alfred said.

"It wasn't a _nice_ place, but I have to thank them for all they've taught me," Kiku smiled. "And I also met the odd nice person there; although most of them were…"

"Asshats?" Alfred suggested.

"Not so pleasant," Kiku corrected. "I don't have much experience with girls at all."

"You just seem to know everything, is all," Alfred sounded mystified. "How would you assume a girl likes you?"

"I suppose if she acts differently around me," Kiku replied, hoping he wasn't giving Alfred terrible advice. "I can't really say I'd know. Apparently girls fiddle with their hair if they're near a guy they like."

"I've never seen her twirl her hair around," Alfred said solemnly.

"I'm sure there are plenty of other things girls do to hint they like you," Kiku assured him. "Don't take my word for this, because I honestly have no experience here."

"You still sound wise," Alfred commented.

Kiku felt a little touched. "Thank you. Glad to have helped."

 **F.B.**

"From the rehearsals we've had all week, what have you told Roderich?" Francis asked Elizabeta.

He and Arthur had met with her after school to discuss their plot. The three of them were in the same classroom, and he desperately hoped his plan was helping her.

"I told him we met up over the weekend and watched a film," Elizabeta glanced between Arthur and Francis. "I hinted we were a thing."

"Hinted or made really obvious?" Francis frowned.

"I told him Arthur was 'super cute' and that I really wanted to keep seeing him," she replied.

"Good," Francis nodded approvingly. "Roderich doesn't notice subtlety."

"You don't look very pleased," Arthur said. "What did he say?"

" _Barely anything_ ," she worried, eyebrows curving with anxiety. "Just an 'OK' and a 'good luck'. It was like he _didn't care_."

Francis' brows knitted together and he adjusted his tie. "That was it?"

She nodded, biting her lip. "Feliks overheard, and _he_ was more overjoyed than Roderich was."

"Feliks overhearing was probably a good thing and it'll work in our favour," Francis rubbed his chin. "The more people who are convinced of your relationship, the better. Just confirm it to anyone who asks, and it might appear more real to Roderich."

"What if he's not interested in me?" she panicked.

"He should ask questions, whether he's friends with you or not," he comforted. "I think we just need to be patient. He's not exactly the most expressive of characters, is he?"

"I suppose not," she frowned.

"Also, I think a little public affection might work," Francis cringed.

"What do you mean?" Arthur narrowed his eyes.

"I'm not asking you to shove your tongue down the back of her throat," Francis rolled his eyes. "Be a gentleman – a kiss on the cheek, wish her a good day, things like that."

"I know how to be a gentleman," Arthur snapped.

"I'm worried Valentine's Day will come before Roderich knows how I feel and feels the same," Elizabeta frowned.

"We have plenty of time," Francis assured her. "Just keep up with what you're currently doing, and we'll just make it more and more obvious that the pair of you are dating."

"What if this puts him off?" Arthur sighed.

"What do you mean?" worry crept back into Elizabeta's eyes.

"Yes, what _do_ you mean?" Francis scrutinised him.

"What if Roderich backs down _because_ Elizabeta and I are dating?" Arthur frowned. "What if that convinces him to _never_ admit his feelings for her?"

"That won't happen," Francis waved a dismissive hand. "The idea of this plan is that Roderich gets increasingly jealous and frustrated, until he blurts out his true feelings."

"What if he gets mad at being deceived?" Arthur folded his arms. "I know I wouldn't like getting tricked into admitting my feelings."

"You and Roderich are very different people," Francis replied snootily. "Where you can't appreciate any romantic inclinations towards you, Roderich will probably be flattered that Elizabeta went to such an effort to reveal his affections. He's a quiet character, and will probably be more relieved that Elizabeta returns his feelings, if I'm perfectly honest."

"Fine – you know more about this than I do," Arthur held his hands up in defence.

"I do, indeed," Francis glanced back at Elizabeta. "Has anything else about Roderich changed?"

She shook her head. "We've been in the music rooms like we usually are at lunch, and he hasn't mentioned Arthur or _anything_ nearing that subject at all."

"I wonder if this is closet envy…" Francis murmured.

"What?" Elizabeta blinked.

"Perhaps he's the type to even bottle up his envy," Francis nodded, latching onto the idea. "If he doesn't acknowledge the truth, then it doesn't exist."

"You think Roderich doesn't want to admit I'm dating someone else?" Elizabeta smiled at that.

"Yes, it's a possibility," Francis smiled. "Keep watching his actions and behaviour, and report back to me as soon as you can if something changes."

She nodded, and bid them goodbye before hurrying out of the classroom.

"Did you bullshit that?" Arthur asked.

Francis looked at him in alarm. "Of course not."

"Don't hurt her feelings by getting carried away with your schemes, frog," Arthur slung his bag over one shoulder.

"I won't," Francis sighed. "I would never be so awful."

"I need to find Peter," Arthur headed to the door. "He said he'd wait for me, rather than walk home alone. He's been acting awfully strange, recently, and I'm curious as to what's been going on."

"Strange? How so?" Francis frowned.

"I don't know," Arthur looked uncomfortable. "He's just been very distant, recently."

"Ask him?" Francis suggested.

"We'll see," and he left the classroom.

Francis packed up his books. He hoped everything would be OK between Roderich and Elizabeta. Arthur's words rang through his mind. This wasn't just about him being a match maker at the end of the day, was it? His goal most certainly was for the benefit of others, right? Francis told himself that, yes, this was for the satisfaction of Roderich and Elizabeta finding love, rather than the glory of being Cupid incarnate.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Have a good week, everyone! Until next time!_


	21. Chapter 20

**A/N:** _Hello, all! I'm back from holiday! I wish I could say it was the best experience ever, but... unfortunately, I was sick on three of the seven days we were there! I'm still feeling a bit raw, still, actually, because there was this absolutely hideous stomach bug going around the entire hotel! Everyone was getting sick! I had high expectations for this place, especially since it was the same hotel branch as the one from my Mexico holiday (which was just over a year ago, wow), but they were completely different! It was a shame, because this was quite a new hotel, and they clearly hadn't got off to a successful start. It was a bit shady that they didn't say anything, because according to Trip Advisor, some elderly people were hospitalised due to the bug, which is truly awful! Anyway, I was still recovering on the flight back, which had been delayed by an hour, so I think it's safe to say the entire trip was cursed. In fact, it_ was _cursed, because the flight attendant said one passenger needed a doctor! I really hope they were OK! I was really looking forwards to this holiday as well, as an end of exams type of relaxation._

 _I passed them all, by the way! Looks like I'm going on to my second year of university! I don't know how it's measured across the world, but here, we don't have grades. It's a bit weird, actually. From 0-39%, you fail; 40-49% is a 3rd; 50-59% is a 2:2; 60-69% a 2:1; and 70% onwards is a 1st. I'm happy to announce most of my results were in the 2:1 bracket! One of them was a 2:2, and another I got a 1st in! I aim to work harder in the next year, which is probably the biggest lie I'm saying for 2017!_

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of LIITA!_

* * *

 **Chapter 20**

* * *

 **F.V.**

As the Fool, Fel had quite an enjoyable role. He was the one with the authority to criticise the King to his face. He had nothing against Arthur, but it was the idea of putting someone of higher authority in place that made him feel unusually good about himself.

It was also fun to see everyone get into their characters, especially Ludwig and Kiku. The pair of them were usually so introverted and quiet, that to open up in front of the others was an achievement on their part. He really felt Ludwig especially was making the most of the final year. He had been heavily involved with the Talent Show, was being just as involved with the Charity Ball. His performance for the end of March Year Thirteen play would boost his reputation in the school just before the final exams after the Easter break.

It made Fel nervous just thinking about those…

Kiku had seemed to take an interest to his character, Edgar. His enthusiasm for acting had surprised Fel. He had thought he had been hesitant at first, but it seemed he was more than happy to fit to his role in the play. He was also a rather good actor. He clearly enjoyed his moments on the stage, and, unexpectedly, he didn't appear nervous performing before other people. Fel had, admittedly, underestimated Kiku.

Afterwards, the three of them retreated to a small corner to grab their bags and move on to the next lesson.

"What are you two up to next?" Fel asked.

"I'm working on the Charity Ball," Ludwig replied.

"I wanted to do some of those Science questions we'd been given," Kiku said. "You want to join me, Fel?"

"I've already done them," he lied, not wanting to offend Kiku, but too lazy to do the work. "But I don't have the notes with me. I think I'll mill around in the Common Room."

"Done the work already?" Ludwig looked impressed. "Dare I say Michelle has changed you and for the better?"

Fel chuckled. "Perhaps."

There was a tap on his shoulder, and he turned to see Emma smiling at him, green eyes alight.

"You busy, or you got a Free?" she asked.

"I have a Free," he said.

"You want to come with me to hand in my Art homework?" she held up her little sketchbook. "Mrs Denver's being pretty strict on deadlines, what with half term getting ever nearer as well as the mock exams."

"Hey, I don't mind," he shrugged.

"Great – she loves you, so she'll probably go easy on me," she started walking off and he hastily followed.

With a short wave goodbye to the other two, he stepped out of the Drama class and followed Emma to the Art rooms. He hadn't been there in what felt like ages, and he really missed this lesson. It was the only class he could truly commit himself to, other than cooking class. Those two were the grades he was hoping would bring him up a little.

Although he was sure the work had been due earlier in the week, Emma dropped it into the empty due homework box, and was making her retreat when Mrs Denver appeared.

"Oh, Fel," she beamed. "I've just seen your work. Very interesting. Very abstract."

He usually didn't associate himself as an abstract artist, but his project had been leaning towards him looking into distorted images.

"Thank you," he smiled.

When she was gone, he realised Emma had ducked behind him, shielding herself from view. She offered him a relieved smile and hurried away from the Art room, away from Mrs Denver's watchful eye.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Can we walk the outside way?" she glanced over her shoulder.

"Sure," he shrugged, even though it was cold outside.

The pair of them stepped outside into the gusty January winds. It was nearly the end of this month, and then there would only be three weeks until the mock exams. Emma's hair whipped around her face.

"That homework was due the beginning of this week," she snickered.

"And now it's the end of the week," he smiled. "You're becoming like me. I never hand my homework in on time."

"Unless it's Art," she pointed out.

"Not for anything else, though," he laughed.

Despite the bitter cold, the walk seemed to take no time. They reached the outside entrance to the Common Room. The place was deserted, as all others had crammed inside to get as much warmth as they could. Fel, usually a hater of the cold weather, somehow basked in it at this present moment. He breathed in deeply, liking the sharp feeling of the cold in his nose.

"Oh, it's bitter, isn't it?" he glanced at her and saw her nose and cheeks were a little pink from the cold.

"A little," she glanced at him, just as a cruel chill of wind blew her hair across her face. "Oh!"

Fel automatically reached out and tucked her hair aside, pushing the rich, brown locks behind her ear. There was a pause as his mind registered what he had just done, but then everything seemed to slip out of place. His hand was still by her ear, and she was looking at him, an innocent expression in her green eyes.

Gently, Fel traced his fingers along her jaw, staring into the beautiful emeralds. Emma closed her eyes, and Fel met her halfway. Despite the cold, her lips were warm and he pulled her close into an embrace, savouring the faint, spicy yet sweet smell that drifted from her.

That was Fel's second kiss.

 **I.B.**

He was minding his own business, making himself tea, when, out of the window, he noticed Feliciano and Emma. He would usually look away, horrified that he'd witnessed an act of intimacy between two other humans, but this time, he was transfixed. Wasn't it Fel he'd seen in the mall on Saturday with Michelle from the year below?

"Oh, they need to get a room," he looked at Mei, who had wandered into the kitchen, presumably to find him after he'd disappeared for his tea.

"Yeah," he agreed vacantly.

"Lunch with Yao today?" she asked, rubbing her hands together.

"Yep," he nodded.

"Do I look good?" she twirled around.

"He likes cats," he pointed to the pins in her hair.

"Even better," she grinned. "Any advice?"

"Be yourself," he said, recalling that Yao seemed to like her the way she was. "That's the best way to approach anything."

"OK," she nodded, determined. "What if he doesn't like me for who I am?"

"Then he's not the right guy for you," he finished making his tea. "As long as you be yourself, you'll find the right person for you."

"OK," she breathed in.

"Are you nervous?" he furrowed his brow.

"A little," she swallowed.

He thought back to what Yao said. "Just let him make a move – I'm sure he will."

She nodded, chewing nervously on her lip.

"Just stay calm," he soothed with a smile. "There's no need to get flustered over something so trivial."

"I don't want to make a fool of myself," she worried.

"Then relax," he said. "Otherwise he'll detect you're anxious about something. We're meeting him near the lunch hall, by the way. He had some work that needed to be done in the library."

"Oh, OK," she nodded. "I guess we just wait here until the time comes, then?"

He was surprised she was so eager to hang out with him. He nodded and chose to lounge around the Common Room with her. Although their conversation dipped around a myriad of subjects, he could still tell, from her little fidgets, that she was nervous about having lunch with Yao. He would definitely tell his friend about this behaviour later on; he wanted Yao to know just how he made the poor girl feel.

When the time to go came, he walked down to the lunch hall and, sure enough, Yao was waiting. A smile lit up his face as he saw them approaching.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey, aru," Yao nodded. "And Mei."

"Hi," her tone was surprisingly cold as she wandered past, eyes roaming the corridors as if searching for someone.

Yao shot Ivan a look and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Let's head to lunch," he announced, questioning Mei's 'be yourself' tactics.

"Already?" she asked, glancing at him in horror.

"Yes," he said slowly, and encouragingly. "We're all here, so let's go."

She narrowed her eyes, but said nothing, falling into step beside him. Ivan felt a little awkward that he was a human barrier standing between Mei and Yao. He could feel them both giving him questioning glances. All he knew was that _something_ wasn't quite right…

 **A.K.**

He was in the library with Feliks and Francis when he spotted Elizabeta checking some books out on her way to lunch. Roderich browsed a few books on the shelves nearby.

"Go on," Francis hissed.

He glanced at his French friend, and saw the cornflower blue eyes flick towards Elizabeta. With an inward groan, he forced a smile and stood, hanging his bag over his shoulder, and slowly approached.

"Hey," he said softly and she turned her head, green eyes widening at the sight of him.

"Arthur," she swallowed.

"What you reading?" he leant over her shoulder, slipping a careful arm around her waist.

She blew out a nervous laugh, unable to stop the flush spreading across her face. "Just some stuff for a History project on the First Reich – so boring."

"Hmm," he said. "I'm going to lunch. You coming?"

"Umm, I said I'd go to late lunch with Roderich," she nodded slightly.

"No problem – see you later," he kissed her lightly on the cheek, hating himself for purposely deceiving another man, and he could see the worry in Elizabeta's eyes, too.

However, he received a slight grateful smile from her, so if this was the way she and Francis would execute things, who was he to complain? He raised his head and made accidental eye contact with Roderich. He saw the Austrian's hateful, purple eyes narrow and his grip on a guitar book tighten. Arthur's blood froze, but he maintained an easy-going smile on his face. He nodded towards Roderich before retreating from the library. Francis and Feliks were already outside, waiting.

"What?" he asked, seeing their expressions.

"Nothing," Francis whistled.

"It's totally cute how you and Elizabeta got together," Feliks said. "I never would have expected it. I, like, thought she and Roderich were destined for each other."

"I guess not," Arthur shrugged, trying to remain blank on the surface.

"You need to tell me the goss – how it happened," Feliks said.

"He's coming into lunch with us," Francis explained.

"Yeah, Toris was going into late lunch, and I couldn't be bothered to wait for him," Feliks shrugged.

"Does Toris know this?" Arthur asked hesitantly.

"He'll find out, won't he?" Feliks shrugged.

He proceeded to complain about Toris after that, and Arthur was glad that the subject had been changed from him and Elizabeta. Their getting together had yet to be explained.

He would also have to relay to the other two the terrible glare he'd received from Roderich.

 **A.J.**

It had been a tiring day, and he was just glad it was nearly over. He was cleaning out his coffee mug when Natalya breezed into the room.

"Hey," she said.

"Yo," he smiled. "Need something?"

"Nah, just wanted to hang out before registration," she said, leaning on the counter nearby and staring at him pointedly.

"Cool," he nodded, nervously averting his gaze to the window, but feeling her eyes burning on him.

"These skirts are so uncomfortable," she complained.

Alarmed, he looked over his shoulder, and saw her adjusting it. Blushing furiously, Alfred hurriedly looked away, but only after they'd made eye contact.

"You seem awfully anxious about something," there was a slight purr to her words, and he could feel his pulse speed up.

"I… do?" he swallowed.

"Yeah," she sounded closer. "Perhaps... it's that I made you look?"

He turned around, and she had definitely walked right up to him.

"N-Natalya?" he blinked, and couldn't make himself move away.

She was so beautiful, with her violet eyes and pastel blonde hair that fell like a straight sheet to her waist. Her features were quite sharp, and not as effeminate as other girls, but there was a shrewd foxlike attractiveness about her. He could smell rosewater now that she was this close. Alfred felt locked in place, clutching the counter despite his sweating palms.

"You're so nervous," she raised a hand and gently trailed her fingers through his hair, just above his ear, slightly catching at the skin with warm fingers.

Alfred's heart stopped, and the world froze around them. He didn't move away, and Natalya smiled, perhaps knowingly. Tilting her head up, she kissed him. Time skipped forward all of a sudden, as if the world had caught up with Alfred.

 _She's Ivan's sister_ , the metaphorical Angel loomed, dressed in white with a halo adorning its head.

 _Yeah? You know what she also is?_ the Devil sneered, black leather jacket and all. _Goddamned hot._

 _True_ , Alfred thought, catching her by the waist whilst returning her kiss.

He pulled her close, holding her tightly to his body, and ran his hands through her beautiful, ash blonde hair. He'd been wanting to do this for so long, and whilst life had offered him several opportunities along the way, some kind of morals had prevented him taking action. Her hands slid up to his shoulder, and he nibbled her ear before returning to her mouth, a grin forming on his face. He gradually lifted his hands from her waist, one finger risking to brush along the skin from where her shirt lifted slightly.

"Get your hands off my sister, _mudak_."

Natalya accidently bit down too hard on his lip in surprise, and Alfred jumped to attention, turning his head towards Ivan in the doorway, Yao lingering awkwardly behind. Natalya hastily unlocked her hands away from Alfred's neck, and he rapidly backed away, creating distance between them.

Ivan was livid, eyes dark as he sauntered towards his sister and stood protectively beside her. "Lay another hand on her and I will break your fucking neck."

Alfred's heart was still wild – but that was probably now because of sheer terror.

Ivan's expression suddenly became cold. "I should've known that's why you were sucking up to me earlier in the week. You just wanted 'permission' to get at my sister."

"No, dude, that has not-"

"Bull. Shit," Ivan's tone was merciless. "You, Alfred Jones, should become a politician, because you're a liar and you don't give a crap about anyone but yourself. You'd do well in that field."

"Ivan, listen," he began.

"Listen, Ivan," the Russian suddenly mimicked a high pitched, irritating noise. It would've been comical had this not been a vicious onslaught towards him. "Fuck off. I should've known you were just trying to take advantage of me and my family."

"Ivan," Natalya anxiously tugged at his sleeve.

"No, this needs to happen, da?" Ivan straightened his blazer. "If I ever see you near my sister ever again, I can assure you I will probably break your neck."

"But we're-"

"Buddies?" he offered a mean smile. "Not anymore, because I said so, da? Oh, and by the way, Alfred, enemy is very fine with me, because it's pretty obvious we're never going to be friends again."

Alfred watched Ivan willfully direct Natalya from the room, protectively holding her wrist and shooting him a vicious stare. He was stunned, speechless, because his mood had gone from elevated to nothing. He turned his head, remembering Yao had borne witness to the entire scene.

"Dude," he swallowed.

"You need to fix your shit, Alfred," Yao shook his head. "Because you fucked up, aru."

The door closed as the other student hastily left the room. Alfred stood there, then let out a long groan of horror.

 _Why?_ That was all he could ask himself. _Why?_

* * *

 **A/N:** _Thank you for your patience. It all goes down in this chapter! I hope you like it; feel free to review if you have a comment, because I love hearing what everyone has to say about what I've written! Thank you, and until next time!_


	22. Chapter 21

**A/N:** _Oh, I'm so sorry for the late chapter! I've had quite a busy weekend, since I was collecting the keys to the house I'll be living in for my second year at university. Let's just say, the previous tenants have left it in an awful state, and the so-called "deep clean" the house would receive was actually a mop across the kitchen and a brief hoover of the lounge. It was quite awful, actually, and it's in a much worse condition compared to the house we saw and decided we wanted. Anyway, we have to have it now, but we'll have to see what we can do about the damages and the cleaning. It's disappointing, really, how people think they can treat students nowadays. Not only that, but I didn't realise an electric meter was an existing thing! That's going to be sad payments being made... I'm going to urge my housemates that we move next year and find somewhere more likely to be a bit more accommodating. Honestly, be so careful when picking a house. I really thought I was being quite diligent, but there were so many more things that I had no idea what to look out for!_

 _We also had guests over this weekend, so I've been away from my computer a bit more lately. I just haven't had the time to get online and post, especially as the internet also broke. It sounds like excuses piled on top of each other, but I've honestly had quite a bad weekend! I've kept positive, though, because there's a solution to almost everything._

 _Anyway, without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia: LIITA!_

* * *

 **Chapter 21**

* * *

 **K.H.**

He woke up, tired from another week of school, and amazed that it was the beginning of February. A month had already passed of the second term; they only had two months to go. Blearily, he crawled out of bed and dressed into his uniform. It was an early start for Kiku. He liked to arrive five minutes to eight, and it took around fifteen minutes to get to school via his bike. That meant he had to set off at half seven. He didn't like rushing around, either, so gave himself a full hour to get ready. For Kiku, that meant he had a little bit of time to check whether he had everything ready for school, whilst looking presentable before he left.

Naturally, he was an early riser, so getting up wasn't a problem for him. He slipped into his uniform, and hurried through the house to find Pochi approach with a wagging tail, the usual morning greeting. His mother was already awake, in the kitchen, and his father was seated at the table, a warm breakfast of buttered crumpets.

"Just in time, Kiku," his mother said kindly. "Did you sleep well?"

He nodded as he took the plate from her and set it down across from his father, who nodded towards him.

"I slept fine, thank you," Kiku replied, tucking into his breakfast.

"It's nearly your eighteenth," his mother turned towards him. "Is there anything you'd particularly like to do?"

Kiku lifted one crumpet to his mouth. The warm, buttery taste filled his senses and he was reminded of why he was a morning person. A chance to have such wonderful food was always incentive to get up early. Kiku couldn't properly start the day without his breakfast.

"I wanted to ask how your Maths tutoring was going," his father said, interrupting his train of thought of food and birthdays.

"Alfred seems to be _coping_ , but his improvement is much slower than I'd like," Kiku admitted. "If only I'd been able to work with him a little earlier, say… after October half term. Then I might be able to see more change in his abilities in the subject."

"Will it be worth it, though?" his father asked.

"My studies are unaffected," Kiku smiled. "I was one off an A* in a miniature test we had last week, and I'm expected to improve by the end of the year."

"That's good," his father was genuinely pleased, which meant Kiku could also be happy.

"Your birthday?" his mother prompted, now that their debate on intellectual studies had ended. "Anything you want to do?"

"Maybe bowling," Kiku pondered. "I haven't done that for a while."

"For your _eighteenth_?" she seemed surprised, but smiled the nevertheless. "If that's what you want to do…"

"I'm sure his friends will conjure something up for him," his father added. "After what you did for Ludwig, I can imagine the pair of them getting creative for you."

"Perhaps," Kiku smiled, eating his breakfast.

"When is your next session with this other student?" his father asked.

"Because of his lack of improvement, I was going to suggest we meet again today," Kiku held a hand over his mouth, swallowing his next bite. "Is that OK?"

"That's perfectly fine," his mother said.

"I had best finish getting ready," Kiku's crumpet had run out. "Thank you for the meal – it was very nice."

"You have plenty of time," his mother told him as he hurried back to his room.

Grabbing his brush, he stood before the mirror and lightly combed through his hair. His hair was generally flat and looked usually neat, despite the little effort applied. A quick few scrapes of the comb and he was finished, moving on to the bathroom where he washed his face and brushed his teeth. He had plenty of time to arrange his books and folders for school, and lounged around for a while on his phone. He found it a miracle that Fel was always late. He barely knew the definition of late.

When the time came, he walked to the front of his house and pulled on his shoes. His mother was waiting for him as he straightened up, and adjusted his collar, tie and blazer to look pristine. The harsh winds when on his bike would only ruin that once again anyway, but he never had the heart to tell her.

"Have a good day at school," she said, kissing him on the cheek.

"Thank you," he ruffled the top of Pochi's head as the dog arrived to bid him goodbye, before hurrying out into the freezing weather.

He regretted not rooting around to find his jumper, because the weather had become increasingly bitter over the past few days, despite promising to lighten up a little. Climbing onto his bike, he readied to shoot off, looking forwards to another day of school. He was even looking forward to his Maths tutoring with Alfred, as the two boys had become close friends as a result.

 **A.K.**

He arrived at school at the usual time, walking alongside his brother. Personally, Arthur thought it was ridiculous how his mother insisted they walk, despite the hazardous and freezing temperatures. Her excuse was that, no matter the weather, they were always close enough to the school to walk. He disagreed when it was either sleeting down with rain or torrents of snow fell upon their heads. Peter never complained, but Arthur knew he would once he had to walk alone whilst his brother was at university. The idea of never having to walk to school again instantly brightened Arthur's day.

"I'll see you later, OK?" he said to Peter, spotting Raivis waiting anxiously by the school gates.

His brother stammered something unintelligible before rushing over to his friend. Arthur's brows knitted together, just as Francis breezed to his side. It was an ordinary day for the two of them to conveniently arrive at the same time.

"What was _that_ about?" Francis asked him.

"I have no idea," Arthur frowned. "He's been acting very strange recently."

"Perhaps something's up with school?" Francis suggested, before seeing the blank expression on Arthur's face. "Haven't you asked him? At all?"

"I don't really talk _feelings_ with Peter," Arthur scowled. "So, no. I haven't."

"Something could be bothering your brother and yet you lack the grace to even _ask_ him what's wrong," Francis' expression became one of disapproval.

"I'm not really a caring person," Arthur admitted sheepishly. "I feel like I'd end up screwing it up and insulting him when trying to help."

"First things first, we need to find out what's bothering Peter," Francis announced.

"What if _nothing_ is bothering him, though?" Arthur sighed. "What if I'm just imagining things and conjuring up issues that don't even exist?"

"Believe me when I say that there _is_ something up," Francis looked sympathetic. "Otherwise I wouldn't be talking to you about it. I noticed his usual 'happy for everything and everyone loud nature' has vanished and is replaced by a boy who seems anxious about everything."

"I knew Raivis was a nervy guy, but not Peter," Arthur mumbled.

"Precisely," Francis beamed.

"What are we doing about Elizabeta and Roderich?" Arthur asked, eager to avoid the topic of Peter. He always hated it when Francis reprimanded him.

"I don't know," Francis sent him a clueless look over the change of subject – family made Arthur awkward. "Did you want to meet with Elizabeta?"

"I saw her in the library the other day," Arthur said. "And Roderich displayed some questionable behaviour. I don't want to discuss it right here, so let's make another meeting with her."

"Of course," Francis nodded as they entered the building and made their way to the Common Room. "I'll speak to her when I have the chance."

Relieved, Arthur dropped his bag and went to make himself tea before registration began.

 **F.V.**

He was lying in bed, aware of the time getting further and further into the day. There was a roiling in his stomach that couldn't be passed off as a bug, due to the thoughts that plagued his mind. The first kiss had been sweet and simple, the second daring and exciting. He'd wanted both to happen, and they both felt good at the time.

But he was now reflecting on his actions, and regrets were piling high. Feliciano couldn't determine who the regret was _for_ , though. Did he regret having the initial kiss with Michelle, so that he wouldn't feel so trapped about having kissed Emma, or did he regret his little moment with _Emma_ , because he had evidently kissed Michelle first? Did he regret both, rather than waiting to get to know each girl a little better? Or, perhaps, he regretted neither, and instead what he was mistaking for 'regret' was really embedded excitement of suddenly having no girlfriend to two?

Lovino peered in through the door. "Are you going to school today? I heard your alarm, but no movement…"

"I'm not feeling so well," Fel admitted. "I might go in after Break, depending on how I'm feeling."

Both girls probably wanted to talk to him. He hadn't seen either after he'd kissed them. He couldn't avoid his responsibilities. That would only make things worse.

Who did he like more? He liked Michelle because she was cute and girly. He liked Emma because she was funny and womanly. Fel blocked his face, because he couldn't decide.

"You seem bothered about something," Lovino approached with caution. "Is it that girl from the other day? She left you already?"

Lovino had no idea.

"No, I'm just not feeling so great," Fel insisted. "I'll go in after Break."

Sickness would only draw attention to himself. He needed to drag himself into school at some point during the day, whether he liked it or not.

 **L.B.**

He was both disappointed yet not surprised when Fel succumbed to illness as easily as he did. A simple morning off, despite the lesson they had scheduled. It seemed education really didn't mean a lot to Fel, because he wasn't concerned about his exams in the slightest. Ludwig texted him but found no more response other than his initial warning that he'd come in late.

"Is he OK?" Kiku asked before the lesson began.

"He should be fine," Ludwig sighed, turning off his phone and setting it aside. "He said he'd be in, so I guess he'll be in?"

"I suppose so," Kiku said. "How is your role as Albany going?"

"Fine," he replied. "It's not the biggest part, which is good, because I'm organising the Charity Ball. If Germaine wasn't around, I don't think I'd know what to do with myself. She's been so helpful with the arrangements. We've sorted out a venue, catering and we're getting the decorations handled. I think it's running relatively smoothly."

"That's good to hear," Kiku smiled. "I think I shall come along for the sake of charity…"

"I have to be there, date or not," Ludwig smiled proudly. "I have to see where my achievements go."

"Naturally," Kiku said, just as Miss Ronan arrived.

They departed to sit in their allocated seats.

 **A.J.**

He wandered out of the classroom, idly walking down the corridor, until he reached the Common Room. Casually setting his bag down, that was where Kiku found him. The other boy looked like he'd been running, his face a little red and a light sweat covering his face. He had never seen Kiku look so ruffled before.

"Hey, dude," he said, pushing his bag aside with his foot. "Sup?"

"I wanted to talk about our tutoring sessions," Kiku said.

Out of the corner of his eye, Alfred saw eyes flick towards him. Ears were pricked to listen, curious about this conversation that hadn't been heard before. Prying noses that would laugh at him.

"What sessions?" Alfred asked bluntly.

Kiku registered confusion. "With Maths? To help you?"

Alfred shrugged.

"We've been having them for about a month, now," Kiku pressed his lips together, his dark eyes curious.

"I don't know what you're talking about, dude," Alfred said, relaxing as eyes turned away – others believed there was nothing to hear. "You're probably thinking of my brother."

"What is this?" Kiku hissed. "I've been _helping_ you. Have you hit your head or something?"

"Dude, it'd be so _lame_ to get tutoring from _another student_ ," Alfred snorted. "Why the Hell would I need that?"

He watched Kiku's expression darken a little as other students smirked towards the Japanese student. Alfred had just subjected him to public ridicule – he wanted to explain to Kiku that he had a reputation to uphold, but obviously couldn't do that straight away.

"You're right," Kiku took a small step back. "I was thinking of Matthew – sorry to have _bothered_ you, Alfred. The pair of you just look so alike."

It seemed Kiku had gotten his message. Alfred nodded knowingly.

Kiku shook his head. "Once you speak everyone can tell who you are, because Matthew's the _nice_ twin."

He watched Kiku stalk off, shoulders set in fury.

That was when Alfred realised he had grandly fucked up. Again.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Kiku is dropping those harsh burns. Thank you for having patience with my unpredictable posting times. Feel free to leave any kind of review, as I love to read what people have said about what I've written. Thank you again, and until next time!_


	23. Chapter 22

**A/N:** _Hello, everyone! Sorry, I'm late posting again. I've had a busy week! I'll still try and get the other chapter out on the usual Friday, but for now, here's the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 22**

* * *

 **F.B.**

He managed to get a secluded classroom for them during Break. Most students hurried off for the joy of snacking and enjoying food and hot drinks at this time. The classrooms emptied out, and teachers were unlikely to monitor them for the twenty minutes they were open without lessons. That would be pointless. Although it was a narrow gap in time, Francis believed it was enough for something to happen, and for people to get things done. He believed they could discuss their plans with ease.

Francis had been surprised Arthur had approached him about this in the first place. The other boy had been more than right when he'd said he wasn't very good at emotions, so to push a meeting for something he had never been comfortable with seemed next to impossible. Francis was just glad Arthur had mentioned it at all.

Elizabeta and Arthur had both arrived before _he_ did, which was another good start.

"First things first, Roderich saw us head off together and went off to his music room," Elizabeta said. "Is that a good sign?"

"A very good sign indeed," Francis smiled. "But Arthur said he wanted to say something?"

"You know we saw each other in the library the other day?" Arthur glanced at her and she nodded. "Well, Roderich was also there, and if looks could kill, then I would be six feet under for sure."

"What do you mean?" her eyes widened. "He seemed completely fine when we walked to the music rooms after that."

"Then it seems Roderich's pretty good at masking his emotions," Arthur folded his arms. "Because I've never seen so much hatred in one look in my entire life."

"You're mistaking hatred for jealously, _mon ami_ ," Francis smirked. "It seems our little plan is working."

"How?" Elizabeta blinked.

"He's _jealous_ ," Francis emphasised, grinning at how he really could've been Cupid. "Of _Arthur_. Because he thinks the pair of you are actually dating."

"Are you _sure_ he's jealous?" Elizabeta asked nervously. "What if we're just over-interpreting things? Are you _absolutely positive_ you saw him give you that look, Arthur?"

"More than positive," Arthur nodded. "I wouldn't make something like this up."

"I believe you," she nodded uncertainly. "It just seems too good to be true."

"It means we need to move on to the next stage of my plan," Francis folded his arms. "The break up."

"What?" Elizabeta frowned. "What does that mean?"

"A terrible breakup that leaves you a little shattered," Francis said. "This Break is the perfect opportunity for that to happen. When you're upset, you need to monitor his actions and see how that carries towards the Charity Ball. Valentine's Day may be a little soon, but I think we'll definitely have him confessing his _true_ feelings come the Charity Ball."

Elizabeta's face brightened. "So, Arthur's job here is done?"

"Absolutely," Francis nodded. "Thank you for that, Arthur. Meanwhile, I must confess what _I_ have been doing over the past weeks when the two of you have been pretending to romance."

"What now, frog?" Arthur scowled.

"I've been befriending sweet Roderich," Francis beamed. "Band manager one term, relationships advisor the next. So far, he hasn't hinted anything directly, but I'm still building up my friendship with him, and I'm hoping he'll soon start confiding, particularly after what you've reported."

"You've been speaking to Roderich?" Elizabeta seemed mildly surprised.

"Renewing our friendship since the previous term, yes," Francis nodded smugly. "He suspects nothing."

"Yes, how about we just _use_ him as well as deceive him?" Arthur folded his arms and rolled his eyes. "What's your purpose, frog?"

"To get him to a point where, if he can't confide in Elizabeta, he should confide in me," Francis smiled graciously. "And guess what advice I will give him?"

"To confess?" Elizabeta was suddenly filled with hope once more – he was always inspired when his 'clients' were pleased with the result.

"Spot on," he smiled, satisfied. "Tell me now that my plans are terrible, Arthur."

His English friend scowled and tightly folded his arms. "Shut up, frog. Don't rub it in."

"So, you think it's a plausible plan?" Francis prompted.

"It still has a chance of failure," he grumbled, then hesitated when he saw the alarm creep back into Elizabeta's eyes. "Although you may have managed some success here, frog."

"That's what I like to hear," Francis twirled around and placed a comforting hand on Elizabeta's shoulder. "And rest assured, fair lady, you will be united with your prince much sooner than you think."

"I should hope so," she folded her arms. "Because I don't want to be worrying about _Roderich_ with the mocks coming up so soon."

Francis exchanged a glance with Arthur. "I forgot about those completely."

Arthur sniggered. "You're screwed. Might as well as sign up for a job application flipping burgers because this is your last chance to succeed."

Francis scowled. "I will prove you so wrong, Arthur."

Elizabeta chuckled. "I was only joking. We have plenty of time to get ready for the mocks. We're not expected to be A students at this stage, so I think a line of Bs will suit me perfectly."

"If you say so, but I have high expectations for myself," Arthur seemed to suddenly become assured. "I want to get _all_ As."

" _All_ As?" Francis raised his eyebrows.

"All As," Arthur repeated.

"Good luck with that," Elizabeta said. "What are the pair of you doing for Valentine's Day?"

"Finding a lovely lady to spend it with," Francis smiled. "Arthur will probably be alone."

"Being alone is better than being desperate," his friend muttered.

Francis chuckled. Winding up Arthur was one of the most entertaining things to be done.

"On a more serious note, you two now need to pretend you're on bad terms," Francis instructed.

"That's going to be difficult now that we're friends," Elizabeta folded her arms. "But I suppose I'll have to. What should I be like?"

"How would you react towards a man who dumped you?" Arthur asked.

"I would be furious," she raged. "I would probably hate him for keeping me around so long, only to leave me so easily."

"Good," Arthur smiled. "Because we're over."

 **Y.W.**

He went to seek out Ivan, because what had happened last week had bothered him considerably. He hadn't expected Mei to arrive and suddenly blank him. He liked the girl, but possibly not enough for her to treat him as if he didn't exist… Who was Yao kidding? He had never noticed Mei before, and now he was thinking about her in his spare time. He must've liked her a considerable deal for _that_ to happen.

Ivan was, fortunately, not with Mei in the current moment. He seemed to be working in the library on some science homework Yao was sure he'd already done. The Russian student raised his head as Yao fast approached.

"First of all, I would like a bit of an explanation," Yao said. "Are you _sure_ Mei meant me when she said Yao, or has she got the weirdest way of showing she likes someone?"

"OK, _first of all_ , voice down because Ms Olsey might drop kick us out of here," Ivan whispered as Yao seated himself beside him. "Secondly, she asked the name of my friend from lunchtime. You are my friend and you were there that lunchtime. She couldn't have meant anyone else. Thirdly and finally, I haven't seen much of her this week, and definitely intended to ask her about her odd behaviour."

"That makes it obvious I _asked_ , Ivan," he scowled.

"No, because she sees me as her official advisor," his friend put down his pen. "She was asking me how to behave around you before we met that lunchtime."

"Really?" Yao was momentarily touched. "But… does that mean you asked her to act that way?"

"No," Ivan shook his head quickly. "I told her to be herself…"

"I don't think you gave her the advice clear enough," Yao sighed. "Ivan, _do_ something."

"Of course – I'm trying," Ivan insisted. "I thought I was being super helpful but it seems that's not the case. I'll talk to her, da?"

Yao nodded, inhaling deeply. He didn't want to be worrying about Mei when he had work and the end of year performance to worry about. The Charity Ball was merely a speck on his life compared to the fast approaching mocks that were almost upon him. He dreaded them, because it was expected of him to do well. So far, he hadn't done as much revision as he perhaps should've, but Yao was hard pressed for time with all the things that were happening. He didn't need Mei making things difficult for him at this point.

"OK, aru," he said, standing from the desk. "Tell me what she says, and also what's expected of me when we next meet."

"You know, Yao, you could also talk to her yourself?" Ivan stared at him questioningly.

"I feel like it's too early for that, aru," he rolled his eyes. "Just get back to me, OK?"

Ivan nodded, muttering he would do so, as Yao hurriedly left the library, under the watchful eye of Ms Olsey. She always unnerved him with her looming stature.

 **K.H.**

He was peacefully drawing in his club. Currently, he was working out the storyboard for a web comic he was planning. He was rather excited about it, because it was going well and his inspiration towards it was currently very high.

He raised his head and counted the membership to see the usual students were in attendance. It had been almost a month and yet… he had actually believed that girl when she said she'd be interested to join. Every time the club met, he would raise his head, scan the room and catch no sight of her. She had been with Yao and Ivan, so maybe they'd dissuaded her to come?

She wasn't here now, and it was coming to the point when he believed he wouldn't see her ever come. She probably wasn't interested in the club, and had feigned it out of politeness.

Thinking like that cast a shadow over his heart. She had seemed friendly, but it seemed she had just been making a joke out of his hobbies. His pencil hovered over the paper, remembering how genuine she'd appeared. He realised that people really weren't as they seemed, and felt a little bitter for convincing himself that she would turn up. He didn't even know her name, so couldn't particularly ask around to see if she was still interested in the club. That would be a little odd, anyway, and he didn't want to _force_ people to draw manga.

He raised his eyes and spotted Yong Soo sitting at his usual desk, immersed in his art. He was sure that, if the girl he'd seen was either Yao or Ivan's Buddy, then she would be in the same year as Yong. Surely he would know her if Kiku could describe her?

She was the girl with the long, straight dark hair, she was very short, she wore cat clips in her hair, and she was very friendly and cheerful in her attitude (unless that had been a mocking façade).

He didn't get on with Yong Soo; why did he think the other student would be inclined to help him learn who it was he was thinking of? He felt a little ridiculous for thinking that he could get the answers from the other boy.

Just then, Yong Soo raised his head to admire his drawing from afar, and caught sight of Kiku staring at him. An uncomfortable expression passed across his face, before he hastily averted his gaze back to his drawing. It was only then that Kiku's slow reactions set in and he turned his head away to survey the rest of the class.

Perhaps he would toughen up a little more and ask Yong Soo about the girl the next session. For now, he wouldn't worry about it (although he probably would) and he would pull his mind away from his damaged social relations.

Kiku realised he probably wasn't cut out for dealing with other people. First, Alfred, now that girl.

He put his pencil back to the paper and began to lightly sketch, preferring the fictional world to the real one.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Kiku is me. Thank you for being patient, and until next time!_


	24. Chapter 23

**A/N:** _Sorry about the late post everyone! I've been having a few issues with uploading things- some error kept occurring when I tried to transfer my word document to the site. Anyway, I think something similar to this has happened before, and I fixed it (sort of) by using the copy and paste method of transferring documents. I can never be bothered to e-mail these IT support groups, as bad as that sounds, because I just can't be bothered to go through a whole explanation when I've got other things to be doing across the day._

 _Anyway, I wanted to give a massive shout out to **Motivation Is Dying**. Thank you so much for all of your consistent reviews. It means so much to me when someone takes the time to read and comment on each chapter; it really warms my heart. _

_It's my birthday in four days, so expect an extra chapter on that day! Other than that, thank you so much for your patience and overall support for Gakutalia. I know this year I've been really bad at posting, but university threw me completely off kilter and I've been struggling to get back to my weekly routine. I promise I'll sort my life out in due time, aha! For now, though, I want you to enjoy this next chapter of Gakutalia: Love Is In The Air!_

* * *

 **Chapter 23**

* * *

 **I.B.**

He managed to seek out Mei before the end of lunch. She was hanging out with Francis' Buddy; he hadn't realised the two were friends. She raised her head to see him coming over and smiled. He hadn't seen much of her over the week because he wasn't sure whether she'd been avoiding him after the awkward lunch with Yao. She had sent him several messages suggesting another meetup, for which he replied vaguely. Nothing had been set into motion. There was no animosity towards him, but he could tell she felt a little awkward. He just didn't know why.

"Hey, Ivan," she said. "What's up?"

"Um, I actually wanted to talk about the other day," Ivan shifted from foot to foot.

Her eyes widened and she nodded. "Lien can hear."

Ivan sat down with them. "You blanked him the entire time."

"That was _Yao_?" she gawked.

"Who else could Yao have been?" Ivan frowned. "My friend from lunchtime. Just as you asked."

"I asked for the _dark haired_ guy," she grimaced. "Not specifically your _friend_. I know they both had dark hair, but I meant the _other_ guy."

"What?" he blinked.

"The one with the manga club," she added.

Ivan's stomach flipped. The one with the manga club? The dark haired guy? From lunchtime? The one who bumped into her in his rush and barely had time to introduce himself. Kiku. Not Yao. Ivan's mind reeled as things began to make sense. Her disappointment at the sight of Yao being there, her ignoring him and general disinterest. She was _not_ into Yao, she liked _Kiku Honda_.

"I'd feel guilty to get rid of his number just because I'm not interested," she pursed her lips, then glanced at Ivan, alarmed. "You didn't tell _Yao_ I liked him, did you?"

"Of course not," Ivan lied desperately, shaking his head. "Everything you've told me is between us – and Lien."

"I can't believe we've messed up so much," she giggled. "But so long as neither of them know, that's fine."

Ivan bobbed his head up and down, drinking in her words.

"I'm sorry for the mix-up," she added.

"Don't worry about it," Ivan was thinking about the lies he'd told Yao.

"I'll probably give you a break, rather than help me with Kiku," she laughed nervously.

"No, I can still give you advice if you need," Ivan said. "It'll just be less reliable… because I don't know him so well."

"You know him better than me," she said. "Should I go to his manga club, or would that be too weird?"

"Do you like drawing?" he asked.

"I'm terrible at it," she admitted. "I probably won't go…"

"But you promised him you would," Ivan frowned. "He takes things very personally."

"Oh," she grimaced. "He must think I'm such a cow… OK, I'll go to the manga club. What else does Kiku like?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "Just be yourself and see where that takes you. If you need any more help, I'm more than willing to provide advice."

"How do you convince someone you're _really not interested_?" Lien asked.

Ivan blinked and glanced towards her. "Huh?"

"There's someone I know who's having trouble with this guy, but she's not sure how to tell him to push off in a nice way," Mei's friend shrugged.

"Be honest," Ivan said. "If your friend speaks from the heart, he should understand."

"What if she already tried that?" Lien pressed. "But that he showed hints of not quite getting that."

"Then be firm, but fair," Ivan nodded. "Tell your friend to repeat that she's not interested, to tell him _why_ she's not into him and to emphasise why she will _never_ be attracted to him. Tell her to keep her tone calm; if she seems more sure of herself, then others will be sure of her as well."

Lien nodded thoughtfully. "Thanks."

"You should be on those calls where they give relationship advice, or maybe even a therapist," Mei chuckled. "You're full of good advice and you're one of those people with a calming voice when you're giving out instructions."

Ivan nodded, proud of himself.

"Thanks about Kiku, and sorry about Yao," Mei added, which reminded him of the problems he now had at hand.

"Oh, yeah, no problem," he nodded. "I'll see you later?"

"We'll eat lunch together some time," she nodded with a smile.

Ivan fled, because he wanted to hide his face in shame. How could he have made such a grave mistake? It was all a misunderstanding on Mei's behalf, but then he'd gone and told Yao about how she'd supposedly felt. He had _lied_ to his friend, without meaning to, and was now expected to initiate feelings from Mei that just weren't there. How could he look Yao in the eye and tell him he'd made a mistake, when Yao had made it known to him that he kind of liked Mei? It was not _Mei_ who had led Yao on, but _Ivan_ , without meaning to. He could imagine Yao's disappointment, and perhaps even his anger that Ivan had gotten things so wrong.

He couldn't tell him: that was the answer.

Ivan wouldn't be able to look Yao in the eye and tell him, so that just wasn't going to happen. He couldn't admit that he'd made such a huge error; it would just have to be something that would die out.

And now he was helping her speak with Kiku? Not only had he dug a ditch, he'd bought himself a coffin. Never mind the title 'God of Love' being for him; that was a role he should've left to Francis. He had screwed up and he was continuing to do so.

 **Y.W.**

He headed down to the science block just before registration, because he'd finished his science homework early and wanted it off his shoulders. He was just approaching the box when he saw Kiku standing in front of it, relieving himself of the same homework task, a dark expression in his eyes. Casually, he joined the queue, when he noticed how Kiku almost threw his book inside the tray once he located it from his bag.

"Whoa, aru, you seem bothered about something," he hadn't spoken to Kiku in ages, yet that gave him leave to assume they had nothing against one another now.

Yao believed in moving on.

Kiku glanced at him, genuinely surprised, then averted his gaze, clearly in thought as he stood aside to let Yao reach the homework tray.

"I'm just rather distracted, is all," Kiku finally admitted after a pause.

Was Kiku going to open up to him? Yao hoped so, because he quite liked the idea of renewing their friendship before they both went to university and lost contact of one another forever. He remembered, once upon a time ago, valuing their almost brotherly bond.

"It's a pretty hard term," Yao said, gently slipping his book into the tray to rest alongside Kiku's. "I can see why you're getting a little stressed – I am, too, aru."

"It's not the work," Kiku said quickly.

Yao glanced at him to see something roiling in his dark, soulless eyes. It was anger, yet it wasn't directed at him. He could tell, because Kiku's gaze was distant, as if he was lost in the rage of his past.

"Are you alright?" Yao frowned.

"I just feel a little screwed over right now," something shifted in Kiku's eyes – realisation?

"Have you had an argument with Ludwig or Feliciano?" Yao was surprised; the three of them were pretty much glued together.

"No, not with them," Kiku seemed unsure if he should speak. "It's actually with Alfred…"

"Alfred?" Yao didn't realise Alfred and Kiku spoke; he had never seen them together, as far as he was concerned, so this was news to him. Why would an argument with Alfred upset Kiku?

"Yes, but… it would be wrong for me to speak ill of him in front of you," Kiku averted his gaze.

"No, tell me," Yao said quickly. "He's been doing some stupid shit right now, aru, and I want to make sure he stops right there."

Kiku glanced back at him. "OK, then…"

"What did he say or do?" Yao leant against the wall, a willing ear to listen to Kiku's problems, even if it was just to hear someone complain about Alfred.

"I've been tutoring him this past month to help him with his Maths grade," Kiku spilled.

Yao almost burst out laughing. Alfred was getting _tutored_ for Maths? And more importantly, by Kiku? Had his friend really fallen so far behind that he'd harassed another student to pick him up? That news was certainly interesting to Yao. He managed to hold his emotions to himself and continued to silently and respectfully listen to Kiku.

"He's been getting F, or below, and had a meeting with Mrs Bentberne and Miss Ronan concerning his falling grades," Kiku proceeded. "I'm surprised he didn't even tell his closest friends this… Although, actually… after what he said, I'm not that surprised actually…"

"What did he say?" Yao pressed.

"We didn't have much sessions last week and he hasn't been improving as much as I would've liked before the mocks," Kiku lightly drew his fingers back and forth against the edge of the tray. "I went up to him to discuss we meet later and have additional sessions but… he pretended he had no idea what I was talking about and panned off our meetings as lame."

Yao wasn't sure why, but he felt angry on Kiku's behalf. To put so much effort into teaching someone when _it wasn't even necessary_ , only to be rejected for the sake of outwards appearances, was the most selfish act Yao had ever heard yet. To think Alfred had mistreated Kiku so much, when Kiku had put so much effort into helping him…

"What an asshole," Yao blurted, breaking Kiku's current sentence. "I can't believe he'd do that to you, aru."

Kiku blinked, surprised. "No… I suppose I didn't expect it from him, either."

"It's for _his_ sake because he's always been crap at Maths, aru," Yao fumed. "You don't even _need_ to tutor him, yet you went out of your way to do so."

"To be fair, Miss Ronan asked me to," Kiku frowned.

"That doesn't matter, aru," Yao folded his arms and glared at the wall across from him. "You still agreed, aru. And now he acts like he gets straight A*s. He can forget that, aru."

"I mean, I'm sure if our sessions stop, Miss Ronan will approach me about it, so I really ought to talk to him and-"

"You would continue to give him sessions after the way he treated you?" Yao turned to face Kiku. "Are you mad? If Alfred thinks Maths is lame, he can get a U for Undeserving and Ungrateful. Seriously, Kiku, let him come begging for the tutoring and still turn him down. He brought that upon himself, aru."

"I might feel a little guilty if he was a supplicant at my feet," Kiku admitted.

"You need to stand firm, then, aru," Yao scowled. "You can't just let Alfred walk all over you, which is what he seems to be doing to a lot of people, recently. No wonder Ivan gave up on him."

Kiku stared at Yao in amazement.

"What, aru?" he asked.

"I don't think we've spoken like this in many years," Kiku admitted. "I know I've pushed you away, but hearing you speak about _my_ situation like this only makes me realise how awful I've been to you."

Yao hadn't expected this to benefit him in this way – not in a million years.

"I apologise for the way I treated you," Kiku said, his expression softening. "I recall you tried to talk to me last term, by the photocopier, and I blanked you. I didn't realise your attempts to make amends…"

"Kiku, relax and don't worry about it, aru," Yao waved a dismissive hand. "We'll hang out sometime, OK?"

Kiku stood in stunned silence.

"Also, happy birthday," Yao smiled. "Hope you have a good eighteenth, aru."

He walked away after that. It was a miracle he'd remembered Kiku's birthday after so many years. He felt better about himself having rekindled an old friendship, but he needed to deal with a certain American student.

Alfred needed to be taught a lesson.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Yao slays. I honestly love Yao. I hope the rest of you do, too. Thank you for being so patient with me, and until next time!_


	25. Chapter 24

**A/N:** _Well, this is a surprise. I didn't expect to see myself here, having been such a little shit for so long. Honestly, this time, I have absolutely no excuse. I went away for two weeks, which only extended my absence, but I've been back home for a week and a bit now, so I'm an absolutely disgusting person. July 23rd?! It's been over a month since my degenerate self has decided to post._

 _The worst thing? **I've been writing the chapters but was too lazy to log on and post them**. It's a shame you all have to see the real me, but here we go. Hi, I'm XOs and I'm possibly one of the worst procrastinators in this entire planet._

 _To redeem myself, I'm posting the three chapters I've been hoarding._

 _That still won't redeem me, ha._

 _Anyone a Hunter x Hunter fan, by the way? I recently read the latest chapter of the manga and I loved the 2011 anime._

 _Without further ado, the next three chapters of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 24**

* * *

 **F.V.**

He was sitting with Ludwig, drafting out plans for the weekend, when Emma approached him with a cautious expression on her face. He could see the quizzical expression in Ludwig's eyes and his heart danced. He hadn't revealed the truth to Ludwig about his romantic kiss with Emma. He knew his friend would be ashamed to hear he was with two girls. Even Feliciano was a little put down by it, but at the same time, he didn't want to let either girl go, and he liked the idea of being with both Emma _and_ Michelle.

"Hey," he sprang to his feet and met her halfway, just out of earshot for Ludwig. "You OK?"

She nodded with a small smile. "We haven't talked…"

Feliciano licked his lips. "Talked?"

She nodded, again, and guided him from the form room, standing just outside. Mr Saunders wasn't likely to mind them hanging around in the corridors during registration anyway. He was sure you could skip afternoon registration and he would mark you. That was how little Mr Saunders cared for the well-being of his students.

"I don't want you to think I thought it was a mistake," Emma blurted out quietly, keeping her voice low so passers-by couldn't hear.

"What do you mean?" Fel asked.

"I know I haven't texted or contacted; my brother managed to visit and he's staying for a while; he's taking a year off after university, and he's been around all sorts of places," she said. "It's just good to see him again, so I've been a little distant this week."

Fel's heart melted with relief. He'd been worried Emma may have, somehow, found out about Michelle. However, it was just about an awkward lack of contact whilst he attempted to organise his muddled brain and heart.

"It's OK, Emma, it's fine," Fel said. "I… I want you to know I was serious as well."

She blinked and seemed to exhale some tense breath she'd been holding.

"I… would love to spend Valentine's Day with you," she admitted sheepishly. "But I'm away with my parents and brothers, so…"

"Come to the Charity Ball with me," Fel said without thinking.

How could he go to romantic dance with her when he had another girl in the background?

Emma's eyes shone as she looked at him in wonder. "Really?"

"If we can't spend Valentine's Day together, let's take the chance to go to the Charity Ball together," he said, allowing a smile to creep onto his face.

She seemed taken by his words, joining in with his smile. Did he feel guilty, knowing Michelle was just a call away? Yes, but at the same time, the idea of beautiful Emma attending the Charity Ball with him whisked away those ideas and him along with them.

"I would love to," she grinned, and then winked. "I'll remember to bring some waffles to school tomorrow."

Fel nodded, following her back into the form room, where Mr Saunders didn't even cast them a fleeting glance. He seated himself with Ludwig once again, who sent him a questioningly look. He panned off an excuse – "she was asking for drawing tips, which changed to a conversation about Mrs Denver". Ludwig sucked it in.

Or so he thought?

 **A.J.**

He was sitting in registration, lost in his own words and Francis and Arthur bickering quietly about something extremely trivial to him. He heard angry footsteps approaching and wondered what he'd done now. Dreading what was to come, he turned his head and met Yao's furious stare. He could only question what he'd done to make _Yao_ of all people mad at him, but he was willing to listen to his mistakes. He'd already been subjected to emotional torture by angering Kiku earlier on.

"OK, aru, you need to start explaining yourself," Yao folded his arms. "About your Maths-"

"Aha, _Yao_ ," he leapt to his feet and grabbed his friend's lapels. "Enough of that, if you value our friendship at all."

"I'm beginning to value it less and less the more I learn about this," Yao scowled.

"Jones, Wang – take it outside," Mr Saunders grumbled. "I don't want to be held responsible for not interfering."

"What are you two doing?" Arthur glanced at them.

"We're having a _chat_ and it's going to be taken to the corridor," Alfred hurriedly shoved Yao out of the room. "It's also none of your business."

"Whatever," Arthur returned to his conversation with Francis.

Alfred hastily closed the door behind him and glowered at Yao. "Did Kiku tell you about our tutoring sessions?"

" _Tell_ me? He _confided_ in me because of you being an utter twat, aru," Yao snapped.

"Where is this coming from?" Alfred demanded. "I didn't even think the two of you were on speaking terms."

"You reunited us," Yao replied coolly. "Now explain. Why the Hell did you brush him off?"

Alfred closed his eyes. He should've known that this would come round to bite him in the back.

"I get it; I was a dick," he groaned. "But he was talking to me about it in front of everyone else. Everyone would've thought I was lame for getting tutoring sessions on _Maths_ with Kiku. I had to say something to-"

"Make _him_ look like an utter idiot, aru?" Yao replied sweetly, then glowered at him. "At least put the pride aside to apologise to the poor guy. What's gotten into you lately? You're being an ass to everyone you can."

"Just Ivan – and now Kiku," Alfred grimaced. "OK, I'll apologise to Kiku, because I seriously feel bad about that, dude."

That seemed to calm Yao down a little more. "Fine, aru. But you have to mean it."

"Of course I'll mean it," Alfred pursed his lips. "Kiku's my friend."

"Really?" Yao looked cynical. "Could've fooled me."

His "friend" walked into the classroom, leaving a bitter taste in Alfred's mouth. He was beginning to really reconsider who his real friends were nowadays. He couldn't believe Kiku had told Yao about his Maths sessions, especially when it was such a sensitive topic. It was petty of him… Not only that, but Yao and Ivan had turned against him like vipers at some point. Why was it that Alfred was subjected to so much pain from those around him?

He could be a little silly at times, but other than that, he'd done nothing wrong.

 **L.B.**

During drama, he hung around with his Charity Ball team, minus Germaine and Emil. Fel and Kiku were preoccupied with their lines. As Albany, he had less to say, and even less to do, so he found he had considerably more free time compared to his friends. That gave him just enough time to do some planning towards the Charity Ball.

Students in Year Thirteen were often placed in background setup and lighting if they weren't chosen, and since none of that was currently in place, Tino, Berwald, Mathias and Lukas had very little to do.

"We have less than two weeks to have the Charity Ball sorted out," Ludwig said. "Have we got a venue?"

"Yep," Mathias spread out several sheets of paperwork for planning, orders and e-mails. "We're just waiting for the decorations as well as all the replies to see if everyone who wants to come can make it. Catering is sorted."

"So, we're almost done, really," Tino said with a wide smile.

"Almost," Ludwig nodded. "Everything just rests on the decorations arriving on time."

"They will," Mathias said. "It'll all be fine, just like it was with the Talent Show."

The five of them nodded, agreeing they'd managed to organise the Charity Ball just within time.

 **A.K.**

"I'm afraid you'll have to walk home on your own today," Arthur said to Peter. "I need to get this English coursework finished before half term; it's very important."

"Can't I just call and tell Mum I'll come home later with you?" Peter asked anxiously.

"No, because she was expecting both of us back now," Arthur huffed. "I need to get this done, but you _have_ to go back home."

"OK," Peter hung his head.

"Why has walking home alone become such a problem for you?" Arthur demanded. "I'll be in university next year. Then you won't have any choice in walking home alone."

"I know…" Peter said.

"What's the problem?" he pressed.

"Nothing," Peter insisted quickly. "I'll see you later."

Arthur watched him shuffle miserably away, and beckoned for Francis to come to his side once his little brother was gone from view.

"The poor child, is so miserable," Francis gritted his teeth together. "What's the plan, _rosbif_?"

"Follow him," Arthur said. "But do it quietly; I need to know just exactly what's going on with my brother."

"A little bit of espionage is always good to focus the mind," Francis admitted.

"Quietly means no talking," Arthur glanced at him. "I need to know what's made my brother so anxious to walk on his own. I'm worried… I'm worried if _someone's_ tried to bother him."

Francis nodded, chewing on his lower lip. The two students shuffled away from the school gates, where Arthur spotted his brother far in the distance, shuffling his rucksack protectively onto his shoulders. Motioning to Francis, they lingered on a separate path that would later connect to Peter's. For now, they needed a suitable distance between them to keep them from being spotted on their secret little mission.

Even the way Peter walked suggested there was something wrong. He was drawn into himself, and held the straps of his rucksack almost protectively, as if he believed it could get stolen at any moment. His head was bent down, watching each step he took, and he seemed completely oblivious to everything that happened around him.

Arthur and Francis crept after Peter, even across busy places such as streets and roads Peter and Arthur usually crossed together on their way home. Peter's lack of awareness to being followed in such a public place bothered Arthur. He was a young boy; anything could happen to him without someone watching over him. He felt a little guilty to have abandoned his brother when he'd been so obviously worried about something. However, he was here to find out what 'something' was, which halted him in interfering Peter in his walk of misery.

Along the walk that Arthur and Peter took to get home there was a small glade, that led down a pathway surrounded by trees. It could get quite dim during wintertime, and as it had only just become February, the sky was still relatively dark. The lighting was poor, with a few streetlights being spaced along the trees, but just enough for Arthur to keep sight of his brother. It was down this path that things started taking an unexpected turn.

Arthur watched as a group of three boys emerged from the darkness, blocking Peter's path. They looked like typical thugs, and all wore mean expressions on their faces. He was about to surge forwards and prevent what was about to happen, when Francis pulled him back into the trees.

"What are you doing, frog?" he hissed.

"We can't beat them," Francis whispered desperately. "They're built up like rocks. They must be around our age or the year below."

"I don't care," Arthur glared at him. "That's my little brother they're picking on."

"Wait, Arthur, they won't hurt him," Francis pleaded. "I don't know what they want, but if they were injuring Peter, you'd know by now."

Arthur hesitated. "And you expect me to watch my brother get bullied?"

"No," Francis said uncomfortably. "I'm just saying we need backup. Or a plan. Or both. I suspect they're from the Sports College nearby to World Academy; they'll beat us up for sure, and I'm not one for receiving physical damage."

"What about Peter?" Arthur asked desperately.

"Watch," Francis gestured. "They're threatening him."

Arthur turned, ready to leave, but Francis kept a tight grip on his shoulders.

"Think about it – Peter doesn't expect you to be here anyway," Francis said. "What he doesn't know can't hurt him."

"Watching still feels wrong," Arthur grimaced.

"He's walking away, now," Francis pointed out.

Arthur averted his gaze to the self-satisfied teens and the diminishing figure of Peter as he hurried along the path to make his escape. His blood was boiling, but he let Francis have his way, and allowed the bullies to get away with their terrible deeds.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Next chapter will be posted a few minutes after this one._


	26. Chapter 25

**A/N:** _This is the next apology chapter. Please forgive me for my laziness!_

* * *

 **Chapter 25**

* * *

 **K.H.**

He heard Pochi barking manically at the front door. Groaning, he rolled over and squeezed his eyes shut, hoping to block out the sound. It was a weekend and, more importantly, his birthday, so a little lie in was all he could ask for. It seemed the postman had military standards, though because he was already getting dressed by the time his mother answered the door with a friendly tone to her voice.

Kiku wasn't sure why the postman would come so early, but he then had to question whether he was just waking up late. Drawing his red tracksuit on, he opened the door of his room just as his mother was reaching to knock. They both blinked in surprise, before she smiled and stepped aside.

"Good morning," she said. "You have some special guests."

At first, Kiku couldn't quite understand what 'special guests' could be visiting on the weekend of his birthday, but then his mind started whirring into action. It only made sense that it would be Ludwig and Fel. After all, the day of Ludwig's birthday had had a similar schedule, with two friends waking the birthday friend up early in the morning to do something exciting. If he was thinking on the right lines, then Fel and Ludwig would be downstairs awaiting him. Depending on what they were doing, there was a chance he would need to change his outfit to either fit the occasion or to make himself look more presentable.

He nodded to his mother and trudged downstairs, catching sight of the pair of them seated at the kitchen table. It was a nice, familiar sight to see them, ready for the day in their normal clothes. He could only wonder what they potentially had planned for him.

"Morning, Kiku," Fel beamed. "We're going out to the city today, just to let you know."

"Then I shall make myself a little more presentable," Kiku decided, and hurried back upstairs.

His hair didn't take long, because it never did, and it was very simple to change into neat pressed jeans and a hoodie. His friends were waiting ever so patiently for him when he arrived back downstairs less than five minutes later. He could tell Fel was excited about something with the way he bounced on the balls of his feet in his anticipation.

"Let's go," his Italian friend grinned, and handed him a train ticket.

Kiku glanced at it without thinking much of it, and the destination within the city meant very little to him. However, his two friends were rearing to go, so he didn't waste any more time getting out of the house. He waved goodbye to his mother and Pochi as he followed his friends down the drive.

 **A.J.**

He had been woken some time ago by his mum telling him his family were going out and that he was free to come if he was up. It was a weekend, and Alfred wasn't one for getting up early on a weekend. So, his response had been to drift back to sleep and completely forget about the presence of his family. It was blissful ignorance, whilst it lasted.

He heard a knocking at the door in the distant realm of reality. Unfolding the layers of sleep, he blinked back his tiredness and laid in bed for a bit, listening to the doorbell sound. Turning his head to the side, he wondered who would be knocking at this time on a Saturday. He yawned, and sat up, and after another five minutes, the doorbell went off again.

Whoever it was seemed oddly determined to get into the house. Alfred pushed the covers aside and searched around for something to throw on whilst he could sign any parcels. Silence followed, so he assumed the package had probably been passed over to the neighbours. He pulled on a hoodie and a pair of jeans that were screwed up on the floor before tiredly tromping down the stairs. Rubbing his eyes, he pushed open the door and was surprised to find Natalya standing at the doorway, shivering. She turned as the door opened, brows knitting together and teeth chattering from the cold, her hair tied up to keep it out of her face from the wailing winds.

Alfred's heart thumped and he suddenly wondered whether he looked presentable.

"You just got up," she commented. "I thought I'd be waiting out here for hours. Is there no responsible being at home?"

"What are you doing here?" the words tumbled out of his mouth, more of a relieved question rather than an accusation.

"Are you going to let me in first?" she asked, rubbing her arms. "It's cold out here."

"Oh, right, sorry," he flung the door open wide and stepped aside as she stamped her feet on the mat and walked in through the door.

Closing the door, he was relieved that no more cold air seeped in through the open entrance. He was sure the last he'd properly seen Natalya was when Ivan had been threatening to kill him if he went near her again, and that had been about a week ago. Now she was suddenly at his house.

"Drink?" he offered.

"Hot chocolate," she replied, pulling off her shoes, and setting them on the rack.

She was very neat compared to him.

"Got it," he hurried into the kitchen and hastily set about making two hot chocolates.

Her footsteps alerted him to her entering the kitchen.

"So… what _are_ you doing here?" he asked, trying to keep things casual, even though he was quite nervous.

Had _Ivan_ driven her here? That seemed very unlikely, given the previous circumstances.

"You sound like you don't _want_ me here, despite my efforts," she sounded a little miffed.

He turned to dare a look towards her. "No, dude, I'm cool you dropped by. You need to know something about Year Thirteen?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Where do we stand?"

Alfred's heart thumped in his chest. Should he thrown on the dumb act and act like he was oblivious, or should he own up to his sins and try and work things out with her? He knew the whole 'mates before dates' motto, but had Ivan really been a mate when he'd kissed Natalya? Not really. Was he behaving this way because, deep down, he quite liked the idea of Ivan being his friend again?

But he _liked_ Natalya. He'd never felt this way about a girl before, and every time they were alone, like this, he felt his pulse race and his brain became scrambled, unable to determine a proper sentence. Even now, he was fidgeting over drinks, desperately wondering how he should react towards her. She made him _nervous_. Where _did_ they stand? He wanted them to stand _somewhere_ , but a broken neck didn't particularly appeal to him.

He decided to play it cool and go with neither initial option. "I didn't know you knew my address."

"Francis told me," she replied shamelessly.

 _Of course Francis told you_ , Alfred thought bitterly. Francis was always trying to shit stir.

"Oh, ok," he said, adding hot water to the chocolate granules, and then mixing with a spoon – stirring. Ironic.

"Look, I came here just so I knew what was between us, but if there's nothing, I'll be going," she said.

Alfred tensed and glanced over his shoulder at her, but she wouldn't meet his eye. In no way did he want to upset her about something like this.

"I don't want to be chasing after a guy who's not interested," she sounded suddenly bitter, and he could see her jaw tighten.

"I… am," he said lamely.

"Really?" she glared at him. "You could've fooled me. Make up your mind, Alfred. I've come round for a simple answer whilst Ivan's never going to find out, because he's at some lame cooking class with those other two, and none of your family is here, which is actually convenient."

Alfred's pulse jumped. "Natalya…"

"Not _that_ you idiot," she gave him an incredulous look. "Geez, I just meant there was no one here to overhear the conversation and make things more awkward than they already are."

He had to beat back disappointment. Of course, they had had _one_ kiss. Nothing like that was going to happen between them in the space of a week. Besides, Francis, the relationship guru, would probably advise him to take things slow anyway, and he could see where he was coming from.

"Am I just a plaything, then?" the bitterness returned to her tone.

"No, you're not," he ran his hands through his hair. "Just… hang on."

He placed the mugs on the table and stood across, facing her.

"There's no milk in these," she said.

"Right," he opened the fridge and grabbed the full fat milk. "Forgot."

He dumped a considerable amount in each one, filling it to the rim, then slung the milk back into the fridge. She was idly stirring the one closest to her by the time he turned back round.

"So…" she said, and he realised just how awkward this had become.

He didn't know how to say it now that he was supposed to. Instead, he skirted round the table, which was clearly acting as a by-standing obstacle, and pulled her into a hug. There was just something about being close to someone that Alfred found was far more comforting than anything else.

"I didn't mean to give you mixed messages," Alfred admitted. "I… I still want to… talk to you?"

Her shoulders shook a little.

"Don't cry…" he stressed.

"I'm not crying," she said. "I'm laughing at you."

"Laughing," he took a step back and saw she wore a smile on her face. "What for?"

"Talking?" she chuckled. "Really? You still want to _talk_ to me?"

"OK," he rolled his eyes, then dropped his forehead gently to hers. "I still want to date."

"Date?" she blinked.

"Boyfriend? Girlfriend?" this time he was laughing.

"I know what you mean," she lightly punched his arm. "I was just stunned at your awful way of asking."

"Is that a yes?" he smiled.

"It's a 'maybe' whilst I drink my hot chocolate before it gets cold," she replied, reaching past him to the table and lifting her mug.

 **A.K.**

It was the weekend, and also a Saturday, which meant he didn't feel obliged to do anything. He was watching TV like he usually did, some kind of daytime telly where he could see and ridicule the lives of people who were less than him. Peter was playing his game to one side of the room, a wide smile on his face as his fingers crossed over the buttons. Somehow, Arthur had come to appreciate his brother's peacefulness now that he aware of the situation he kept bottled up. How long had this been going on for? How long had he been completely unaware of his brother's problems?

Just then, their father walked into the room with a stony expression on his face, followed by their mother, who wore a tight frown. Arthur knew that the entire family being in the same room without a meal set down before them was probably a bad sign.

"Arthur, we need to speak," his father said, folding his arms.

That was even worse news. Rarely did he get in trouble nowadays. Standing awkwardly, he set the remote down and left the morons on TV to their drama, whilst he followed his parents into the kitchen, Peter watching them leave, wide eyed.

"What is it?" he asked nervously, because one should always be weary when your parents are angry without an explanation.

"Answer me truthfully," his father said. "Have you been taking drink out of the cabinet?"

He gestured to the high cupboards, the grave expression still on his face.

Arthur had no recollection of doing so. "I don't think so, no."

He had been sober this entire year so far, so that was both an achievement and an explanation that he hadn't touched the drink.

His father's brows furrowed as he scrutinised him. Something in Arthur's brain clicked. That weekend when Peter had been moving chairs. Why would his brother be taking alcohol when going out with Raivis? Arthur would need to speak to him about this. Perhaps it was to do with the problem Peter was facing at school? Either way, he couldn't load _more_ issues onto his little brother's back. Some part of him felt that, by telling his parents, he would be betraying Peter's secret, but also adding fuel to the fire against the bullies. They went to different schools. As no one monitored their interactions with one another, there was very little anyone could do to prevent them finding Peter outside of school.

"Oh, wait," he said, and watched his parents' attention swing back to him. "There might've been this time when I was at a friend's party – Feliks."

It was safe to use that name – his parents would be less vicious towards a distant friend.

"And, um… I might've taken some," he said.

"Might have?" his mother said.

"I wasn't entirely sober," he lied.

"Right," his father sighed.

"Thank you for telling us," she looked disappointed. "But don't do it again, Arthur. At least get permission before taking alcohol from the house."

Arthur nodded solemnly, silently praising himself for being one of the greatest brothers to exist. As he wandered back into the lounge after a light punishment of scolding and a ban from drinking for the next week or so (which wasn't too much of a problem), he saw Peter looking at him with wide eyes. His little brother hastily reverted his gaze back to his game, but the small frown on his face implied he wasn't entirely focused on what was happening.

Their parents were just in the other room, so Arthur decided to let it go. He plopped himself back down on the sofa and continued to watch the overtly dramatic lives of other people.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Arthur is a brilliant brother. The next chapter will be posted in another few minutes!_


	27. Chapter 26

**A/N:** _This is the last chapter of the Apology Trio. I'm so sorry for the wait. I've been in the position of waiting for chapters to be posted, and it's frustrating, and it even comes to the point when you accept there may not be another chapter. I'm determined to never leave a story half finished, and I **love** writing Gakutalia. I'm just lazy and disorganised, which really isn't a good excuse but unfortunately it's all I have. 2017 has been an incredibly bad year for me in terms of getting my stuff together, and I can only blame university. _

_It's not that I've got a massive workload; in fact, my course is rather laid back compared to others. I just struggled to get used to the new atmosphere and lifestyle; for the first month of uni, I absolutely hated being there. I was out of my element, and everything was so unfamiliar, but I'm in my second year now so I no longer have to worry about fitting in with other people. I've got an amazing group of friends I've met from my course but also outside- and I'm so lucky to have met coursemates who also love anime and go to Comic Cons with me. But I won't lie that the first month was so hard for me, and it really threw me off kilter. To anyone who's going into uni, my advice is this: make friends but don't force yourself to go miles out of your comfort zone. If you don't like clubbing (like me), then don't worry about it. I've dodged going out so many times and I've still got lots of friends. If "friends" are forcing you to do things you don't want to do, then they're not your friends. I've learnt that friends are people who may be very different to you in personality, but share the same interests as you._

 _I'll also confess that university made me realise just how much of an anxious person I am. I haven't done anything about it, but it makes me put off even the smallest things, and I even struggle to meet up with people for lunch when it's very bad! The best thing I did in this case was having a heart to heart with my mum about it, and that helped me so much, not in terms of healing, but more about accepting. I know over this summer I've had no excuse whatsoever, but when at uni, and I get like that, writing is one of the last things I'm good at doing. Really, though; as hard as it seems, talking to friends or family about your problems really helps. For a long time, I was just turning my feelings into an apology: "Sorry, I don't feel like lunch- I'm a bit anxious"; that kind of stuff, but that really didn't help, even if it was the easier option compared to just telling the truth of what was really happening with my emotions. Seriously. If you even remotely relate to this, and you bottle up, that's the worst thing to do! You surround yourself with these negative feelings, and it only piles up until it's unmanageable. It used to irritate me when someone would just fling their mental health into an excuse for not doing things, maybe because I was no different?_

 _The fact is, I'm only a person on the internet, but I'm a semi-responsible adult now. I can only provide my experiences and my condolences, and the most support I can provide is to listen to someone's troubles or give advice, and I can hope that younger people don't have to wait as long as I did to tell the truth. I'm reading a book called "Sapiens". It's an anthropological novel, but it points out that humans require social interactions for a number of reasons, one of which was to relieve stress. Having a face to face with those you love, and just telling the truth helped me to no bounds. I can only urge that others do the same. If you know someone suffering this way, then it's amazing they've had the strength to tell you this. It took me, what... eight years to actually tell people how I really felt (seven of which I couldn't even admit to myself, whoops)? It was like I dusted my shoulders. I felt so relieved to have someone suggesting all of the things I could do to make me feel better that didn't include "Get over it". I know there's a running joke that our generation are the 'mental health issue' kids, but my mum said something that really changed my perspective._

 _"It's not that mental health issues have increased, it's just that we have begun to acknowledge them"._

 _It's not ground breaking, but it's the truth, and that's why it sticks in my head so much. This might seem like a jumbled stream of text, and I assure you, when I woke up this morning, I didn't expect to write this, actually. I guess I just realised that I've been screwing with a lot of you, since I've had very little reason not to post and all. I probably should have mentioned all this during Mental Health Awareness week, with hindsight, but I hope all of you can spread the love and the message, because we all need a little TLC every now and then. I know there's a general belief that you have to work all day to get far, and I won't lie: that's true, you have to work hard. But you can't work hard when you're not healthy. You have to put your health first, because there's only one you compared to the millions of chances and opportunities awaiting out in the world._

 _I want to thank all of you for having been so patient and just listening to all of my excuses. I won't promise that I'm going to be a lazy little shit again, but I'm going to damn well try, got it? I love writing, and I love Gakutalia, and I love Hetalia, whence I've been reading the most recent chapters and actually keeping up to date. I don't want anyone thinking I've fallen out of the fandom, or anything. You lot still have to put up with me, understood? We're in this for the long haul now, and I want to make Gakutalia one of the best damn reads if I can. So thank you all. Thank you for being the ones to click on this story and read, thank you for commenting, thank you for liking, thank you for following, and thank you for giving me the inspiration to write the best I can! As a writer, I'm going to give my audience the best performance I can!_

 _Almost shed a tear there, heh. **Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 26**

* * *

 **A.J.**

They were playing video games when Natalya decided to bring up a subject Alfred dreaded most. It had been casual conversation that had been solely focused on how the Braginsky family weren't particularly gamers, so their father had never invested in consoles and other electronic devices for the leisure of playing a made-up reality. Alfred had never envisioned Ivan as a gamer, unless it was a phone app, so hadn't been surprised to hear this. However, despite her complaints about not having video games in her life, Natalya wasn't doing too badly. She'd fit to the rules relatively swiftly and was owning some online people as they played.

The conversation had started with him complimenting her growing skills, then the talk about how she actually wasn't that experienced, and then he'd done the dumbest thing. It was like his subconscious had wanted him to be dipped in another awkward scenario. He had blatantly and foolishly brought up how good at gaming Kiku was, as he'd played against him at the end of the winter holidays. That had prompted the subject that he had been dreading for some time now.

"How _are_ your tutoring sessions going?" she asked.

The very thought of Math on a Saturday weakened his heart.

"Alright," he replied vaguely.

"You getting better?" she prompted. "You have your mock exams in two weeks."

That was another chilling thought that he'd wanted to avoid. The mock exams were some kind of haunting memory that kept inviting themselves into his life, whether he wanted their overbearing presence there or not.

"Uh, yeah," he said, trying to focus more on the game than Math.

"You don't sound very confident," she added. "Also… I heard from Yao that you'd apparently stopped your sessions, so wouldn't be busy today."

Alfred set his controller down and looked at her. "Yao said what?"

"Is it true?" she put hers down as well and turned herself to face him. "Because I don't think you can afford to suddenly end them. I know you're friends with Kiku, but he's still a valuable tutor."

"Well, that's the thing…" Alfred sucked in a breath.

"What?" she blinked.

"We're not on speaking terms right now," he admitted.

"Oh?" she looked interested.

"It's a complicated story, but we fell out, and I _might_ be in the wrong," he shrugged. "Either way, he refused to give me any more sessions."

"I suppose _I_ could go through things with you?" she offered.

Alfred didn't like the idea of a younger student and his girlfriend helping him with his Math. That was somehow more embarrassing than Kiku doing it.

"I mean, I may not be the most patient of people, and I'm not a Maths genius, but I think I could maybe help you get a fundamental understanding," she continued.

"Um…" he swallowed.

"Unless you're too proud?" she rolled her eyes.

Alfred blushed. "Well…"

"Look, how about I phrase it differently?" she smiled slightly. "Teaching you Maths gives me an excuse to leave the house. I won't tell Ivan where I'm _really_ going, of course – I'll just make some lie up about hanging out with friends. And if I'm coming round to teach you Maths, your brother won't get _too_ suspicious, although I can't see him telling my brother anything, anyway."

"Right," Alfred was beginning to like this idea more and more.

"And we can do that until you've patched things up with Kiku," she said reasonably, and he quite liked that idea.

"Sounds good to me," he shrugged.

"Alright, then," she smiled. "How about I start coming over during the week, and on a Saturday?"

"Sure," he nodded, picking up his console, when a thought suddenly crossed his mind. "Hey… now that we're official…"

"If you want to announce it around, go ahead, but Ivan will find out that way," she said. "I'm not so bothered about my brother knowing we're dating, but you seem to be…"

"I wasn't sure but…" Alfred tapped his controller idly. "He'll find out eventually, and besides… it's Valentine's tomorrow and… the Charity Ball next week."

He watched an amused expression cross her face.

"And was wondering…" he pursed his lips at her look. "…if you wanted to come along with me."

"It would be quite funny, wouldn't it?" she said.

"What would?" he wasn't sure to be offended to think she viewed this as a joke.

"Ivan would be so mad if I suddenly turned up with you," she chuckled.

The way she put it, Alfred could see where the humour was coming from. He found his lips curving into a smile as well and was nodding at the idea of that.

"That would be funny…" he admitted, although he was still afraid of having his neck broken.

"He also wouldn't be able to start something, because it's a formal event," she snickered.

"He'd have to stick it out," Alfred grinned.

"We have to go together now," she said. "It would be a missed opportunity if we didn't."

"True," he nodded.

"By the way, we've both been killed," she said. "What does that mean?"

He looked towards the screen and saw the banner of death on each side. "Oh, crap. We'll have to join a new game… and we get no points."

 **K.H.**

They stepped off the train. Ludwig had naturally organised this trip, as Fel wasn't even capable of taking the right time train on his way to school. Neither of them cast shade on him for doing this, but there was the pointed look that Ludwig cast him whenever they changed trains or got off at the right time. Kiku found it a little amusing, but was still cast in the wonder of where he was being taken for today.

It was only when they'd walked a considerable way through the city that he noticed all the posters being set up around advertising the upcoming manga fair. With all the sessions he'd been having with Alfred, but also the thought of his mock exams arriving, he'd completely forgotten to get tickets for this event. He had recalled it at some time and then been sorely disappointed to find he was too late booking. Could it be…

Ludwig handed him a ticket as if reading his mind. Kiku looked amazed to see it, shiny and in his hands. It was like the Holy Grail, a beautiful treasure that he'd believed had been unattainable.

"When did you get this?" he asked, amazed.

"You were complaining about it the other day," Fel said. "About two weeks ago, and I only thought to get the tickets last week. We were really lucky – we got some of the last few remaining."

Kiku's heart glowed to have such wonderful friends. "Thank you both so much."

"What are friends for?" Fel smiled.

They queued amongst hundreds of others, and finally handed in their tickets half an hour later. Kiku felt relieved that his friends had decided to start the day early. It had taken time to get in and now they had the entire day to embrace the art of manga. There were probably so many aspiring authors here, but also more well-known ones that Kiku had wanted to meet for so long. He was always willing to support new manga, and to have amazingly signed copies of the favourite artists that he'd followed and adored for such a long time.

Naturally, Ludwig and Fel wore blatantly mystified expressions on their faces. He hadn't expected them to have a wide reading around the area of manga. Fel was an artist, but of a very different genre and Ludwig… was a practical man.

The queues were always horrendous in these things, because the most popular ones were always overcrowded with people pushing past one another to get merchandise and have their copies signed first so they could breeze off to their next favourite artist. Kiku excitedly found the new volumes of older artists when he was growing up, such as that cool ninja one, or the one with the impressive swords. All these big names were there, and Kiku felt like he was drowning in the essence of so many fictional worlds. He loved his horrors, and his sci-fi ones; the comical ones could sometimes make him laugh and there was nothing wrong with a good romance… If it was manga, somehow, Kiku felt himself compelled towards it and was ready to buy as much signed copies and merchandise as his heart would allow – and it allowed him to spend his money, for sure.

There were people in cosplay to impress their favourite authors and others, like himself, had gone underdressed, too shy to break out of their shells and temporarily become their favourite manga characters. Fel and Ludwig clearly didn't fit in; Fel seemed too indie with the way he idly walked along, paying little attention to what was happening around him, and Ludwig looked like he'd never picked up a manga book in his entire life, which was probably true, if Kiku thought about it. However, he was drowning in happiness because he had managed to go to this to event and he was there with his friends. It didn't matter that they had no understanding of what was going on, although Ludwig tried by complimenting how cute all the ninjas were, so long as they were there, Kiku could be content that his friends and his manga were present.

They were lining up at a newer stall after visiting a lot of the big names. Kiku hadn't heard much about this manga, but apparently it was quite historical and geographical. It sounded cute, and sometimes Kiku liked a little bit of cuteness in his life. Pochi was a big example. They were just off to the corner of the event, and it was just before lunch, so everyone was getting a little hungry and impatient. Also, they were losing their focus, so sometimes the queue would be a little slow progressing forwards if someone ahead hadn't quite noticed it moving forwards.

The event was to go on probably later into the evening, but Kiku had already managed to squeeze a considerable number of his favourite manga authors and after lunch, there were very few left. He was sure most merchandise would run out moderately quickly – no matter how much of it there was, people always managed to buy things out.

They managed to reach the front at last, Kiku's stomach protesting by the time they were at the front. The manga author had begun to look worn after signing so many copies of the volume he was handing out. Kiku glanced at the title and read it out with a smile, because it was a little unfamiliar. The author raised his head and returned the smile, especially after seeing the amount of signed copies and merchandise Kiku and Fel were decorated in (Ludwig was carrying the bags).

"It was originally a web comic," the author laughed. "I'm amazed at how fast it's grown."

"It sounds very interesting," Kiku complimented him.

"Well, here's a copy just for you – signed in my special p-"

A sudden rogue, wearing a hoodie that covered their face whipped the pen from the author's hand and began running away with his item. Kiku hadn't even noticed them appear, but watched in amazement as Ludwig shouldered all the bags and sprinted after the criminal, muscles rippling as he pounded along after them. There was a cry of terror and Ludwig rugby tackled the criminal to the ground.

"Go, Ludwig!" Fel cheered, whilst Kiku and the author paled to see Ludwig return, dragging the criminal back with him, bags still balanced on his shoulders.

"It seems he's got quite a few sticky fingers for his favourite authors' pens," Ludwig announced, spreading an array of stolen pens of all kinds across the desk.

The author hurriedly lifted his precious pen from the pile and let out a nervous laugh. "Thank you so much."

"I think these all need returning," Ludwig was saying. "And no problem."

"You know, I think for that… you can have this one free," he signed the copy – his name and a 'thank you' – and passed it on to Kiku. "Thank you for dropping by."

"Thank you," Kiku took the copy, feeling honoured. "And good luck. I think you'll go far."

It was nice to see someone look genuinely pleased with a compliment, and this man did.

After that, the three of them wandered off, the perpetrator getting dragged away by security, another security man taking the pens to have them returned to their rightful owners.

"I think, after that, we need some lunch…" Kiku decided, and the other two agreed.

The three of them set off to find the best ramen bar to eat at.

* * *

 **A/N:** _That's all for now, so thank you! I really hope you enjoyed these three chapters! Until next time!_


	28. Chapter 27

**A/N:** _Here I am, posting again on a hopefully regular schedule! I can't believe it's September already... It feels too soon to be two thirds through 2017. This year has just flown by. I hate to think that I'll be halfway through my second year of university before I know, but it's going to hit me like a bullet, I can just feel it._

 _On a very important note, my friend just bagged us a couple tickets to a Paramore concert! I'm so excited- I love them so much and I've always wanted to see them live! It's been a while since I've been to a concert so I'm really hyped for this. 2016 was my concert year, but I'm hoping I can bring more of those back in 2018, yes!_

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 27**

* * *

 **L.B.**

So far, he felt the day had been going spectacularly. They had managed to ward off a potential criminal, and saved the trusty pens of many a manga author. He knew very little about manga, but Ludwig assumed that the material used to draw them was probably extremely precious to them. They had bundled all of Kiku's collection into the bags they had brought along, which were basically their hiking ones. Ludwig had figured they'd need the space, as Kiku was a rabid manga fan, and had thus suggested both he and Fel bring along their bags. Naturally, as it was supposed to be a surprise for Kiku, they hadn't told him to bring his.

Ludwig, though, found Kiku rather difficult to read. Whenever he was sure his friend would be enthusiastic and celebrating, he found he wore an expression on his face that was indeterminable. His emotions were so hard to figure out, and although he seemed pleased with what was happening around him, a permanent serenity surrounded him, and his emotions never escalated to the satisfactory level as his. It wasn't that he thought Kiku was being ungrateful – the amount of stuff he'd gathered proved that he was making the greatest amount of time at the convention.

He just worried Kiku, whilst enjoying the day immensely, wouldn't remember it as a spectacular eighteenth. He wondered if the pair of them had wondered the exact same thing when hosting his birthday surprise. He could never say, because he would never dare ask them. Fel had found this arena and he would organise it to the best of his abilities. He wanted Kiku to reflect on the day as one of his most memorable. He wanted it to be an experience of a lifetime.

One part of his birthday had been lost beyond his friends' control by the machinations of his brother, and the thief's attempted stealing had certainly added a breath of excitement so far. He just hoped the entire day was enough for his friend's eighteenth birthday.

He would feel bad, after all, if he had thoroughly enjoyed his birthday, yet another one of his friends did not.

 **A.J.**

They'd started a new game when Natalya decidedly set the controller down.

"I think we should start with some Maths," she said.

Alfred tried to hide his disappointment. He'd been having a pretty good time and he felt Math would just kill that. However, he'd made an agreement with Natalya. Until he had repented for his sins with Kiku, he would have to endure shapes and numbers with his girlfriend.

Hesitantly, he shut down the game and the textbooks were out before he knew it. Staring at the books, Alfred felt his brow furrow as Natalya attempted to explain to him about what was required of him. He didn't want to tell her he completely didn't get it, because he knew she was trying hard and this was the equivalent of throwing it all in her face.

His mind was elsewhere, for a start. His friendship with Kiku was broken, he'd fallen out with Ivan and even Yao was being a little bitter towards him right now. He didn't want to have to resort to hanging around with Matt and Carlos again, but he could see that happening if he managed to condemn himself around Arthur, even. He liked Francis and all, but the French student had an annoying habit of siding with Ivan and Yao a lot of the time. It must've been that cooking class the three of them did.

However, he was also thinking about Natalya. He actually had a girlfriend. He had someone who he could spend-

Valentine's Day! He had completely forgotten about that. He wondered what he was going to do with Natalya. Even though they'd only just decided upon their relationship status as of today, he felt he should go to the effort to arrange their first date for the fourteenth. It only made sense, to him. Besides, Natalya would probably appreciate the gesture, and it gave them something to do for the rest of the weekend, though.

The problem was, where would Natalya like to go tomorrow? Personally, he loved theme parks, but it was never guaranteed that she would want to do that as a first date. Girls were difficult… He tried not to feel stressed about these circumstances, but it was really mind consuming.

"You're really not paying attention," she said, vaguely annoyed.

"We should do something tomorrow," he glanced at her, and watched her shift in her chair.

"What?" she frowned.

"Well, it's Valentine's Day tomorrow," he shrugged. "We should do something."

She pursed her lips, then sighed. "I suppose that's what's stopping you doing Maths, then. Why not just go somewhere to eat? That's easy."

It wasn't quite the reaction he wanted. He had been sure most girls were eager to embrace the love on Valentine's Day, but Natalya seemed as unenthusiastic about that as ever. He seemed more excited about it than she was. He had hoped for a little more indication of what she wanted to do other than eat a meal, but if that's what she wanted to do, then who would he be to complain about it?

"Alright," he pondered where to go.

"OK, why not go for pizza and then watch a scary movie or something?" she suggested.

"A _scary_ movie?" he glanced at her. "You want to watch _horror_ on Valentine's Day?"

"You want to watch _Love Actually_?" she scowled. "Because I don't."

He didn't particularly want to either, and he was a major fan of scaring himself senseless with terrifying movies. To him, this sounded like the perfect Valentine's Day, but he feared it wouldn't be all that special to Natalya. And yet, she was the one who had suggested it. If that's what she really wanted to do, how could he complain? He had never realised how similar they were in their interests, even if their personalities were different.

"Can you focus on Maths, now?" she suggested.

He felt like one of those Greek philosopher dudes, Platter and that guy who sounded like a stutter, because he felt he was contemplating a great matter of physics, math and meaning. Nodding absently, he was more intent on planning a horror movie marathon with Natalya rather than just one, now, but pretended everything she was saying was going into his head, and also that he was actually interested. Sometimes, it was very difficult to take interest in something that he truly despised.

Did Superman and Batman have to learn Math? He most certainly didn't think a lot of math went through Batman's mind when he was facing off against the Joker, or when Superman was faced with having to hold a falling skyscraper up. In fact, he didn't think a lot of thought was applied at all! Batman just punched people and Superman could handle himself. Considering Alfred wanted to be a hero, he didn't think he would need Math to be successful anyway…

He had more important things to think about.

 **F.V.**

He was watching Kiku pack away some drawings of his own into a freebies bag he'd picked up along the way. They'd finished lunch. It had been a moderately relaxing day, but now was the time to move on and collect manga editions from the last of Kiku's favourite authors. It was implied by his Japanese friend that this would be followed by a little bit of wandering around in search of new authors. Personally, Fel had no idea what was happening around him, but he was willing to just mill around and embrace the general calming aura that went with drawing and Kiku. Ludwig also looked a little lost, but he kept trying to interact with ideas that were beyond his understanding.

They were walking along when someone crashed into Kiku. Bags and papers went flying everywhere.

"Kiku, are you OK?" Fel gawked, running to his friend's aid, whilst Ludwig headed towards the other person.

"Oh, I'm fine," Kiku allowed him to pull him, looking despairingly around. "Oh, what a mess."

Fel looked at all of Kiku's drawings spread across the floor, as well as the other person's manga editions. He looked towards the face and recognised him as one of the students in Kiku's manga class.

"Yong," Kiku commented, catching sight of the student as well.

The boy in the year below leapt away from Ludwig and dusted himself off, hastily gathering all his books. "Kiku."

"I didn't realise you would be here," Kiku added. "Are you enjoying it?"

Yong straightened up and sent Kiku a disgruntled look. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Hey, he's only asking," Ludwig interjected.

"Hmm, yeah," Yong brushed him off, before rushing past.

"Well, he could've helped pick some things up," Ludwig complained, stacking Kiku's drawings and returning them to their owner.

"We don't get along," Kiku admitted. "I was just being polite. Never mind, though; so long as I have everything."

"Hey, Sir, are those your drawings?"

The three of them turned to see a man in a suit and neatly combed hair. He was gesturing towards the papers in Kiku's hands, a look of intrigue in his face.

"Oh, um, yes," Kiku replied shyly.

"They're very good," the man commented and rummaged through his pocket. "You know, if you ever make something official, maybe you could call my number, or something? I'm an editor for quite a few things, and I could probably get you some contacts in the industry?"

Kiku took the business card extended towards it and blushed. "Thank you very much, Sir."

"Just for consideration," the man nodded to the three of them, before hurrying off and disappearing into the crowd.

"Did you just get _noticed_ by an editor?" Fel took the card and inspected the professional number, e-mail, company, name of the man, name of the CEO, and so many more details like a website. "You're going to be a _manga author_ , Kiku!"

Kiku blushed again, furiously. "We don't know that for sure."

Never the less, he took the card and looked at it intently before cramming it into his pocket with a small smile. Fel shared a glance with Ludwig, pride swelling in his chest for his friend's talent.

They were beginning to walk around a little more, eager for Kiku to meet more authors, and also revelling on his drawing skills. Fel knew that being a manga author was not beyond Kiku's dreams, even if he was also interested in computer programming. He felt his friend was getting gradually closer and closer to achieving his dreams, especially as he could probably be a game designer and developer with his talents in computing and art.

Just then, his phone began to buzz. Fel reached into his pocket and answered it, a frown on his face when his brother's name appeared on the screen.

"Hello, _fratello_?" he said.

"Can you get your fucking ass here?" Lovino growled. "Papa's a fucking nutter and he wants you home right now."

Fel's mouth felt suddenly dry, and his friends were looking at him. How was he to get away without ruining Kiku's day? His mind whirred, but he knew that not returning would only cause more problems. His pulse was racing and he tried to collect himself.

"Fel?" Ludwig looked concerned. "Are you OK?"

"Hey, you listening?" his brother said from the phone.

"Yeah," he replied to them both. "Um, Lovi, I'll be over in just a moment."

He could see the confusion in his friend's eyes. How was he supposed to hide this?

"Fel?" Kiku frowned.

"I have to go guys," he said, searching for an excuse, and disconnecting the call from his brother. "I will… I will definitely see you guys later. Lovi burnt his lunch and needs some help."

Ludwig looked a little unimpressed. "He should really learn to cook, you know."

"I know, but he set the fire alarm off and he can't make it go off," he forced a laugh, trying to make things light hearted. "I'm so sorry, Kiku. And Happy Birthday. You can drink now!"

He barely waited for his friend's response when he started racing down the pathway, gently pushing past people in his haste to get back to the trains. His brother needed him right now.

* * *

 **A/N:** _The philosopher's in question are Plato and Aristotle, by the way. And poor Fel... I hope things improve for him! Until next time!_


	29. Chapter 28

**A/N:** _Hello, and welcome to the next chapter of Gakutalia! Meanwhile, in the world of XOs, I've now been watching 'Bleach' (again) so to introduce it to my friend so far! She likes it! I really love Bleach; it's the first anime I watched, and I learnt very quickly that, without the fillers, it's actually a good anime. Watching it with her reminded me that I really need to continue the manga for that! Also, has anyone been reading World Stars? I think the chapters on France's fashion around the time of the Revolution is so cute!_

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 28**

 **A.K.**

He was awoken suddenly and abruptly by his phone ringing on his bedside table. He needed to really stop leaving it to charge right beside him, when the smallest of alerts would end up waking him up. Sitting upright, he tiredly reached out and answered the phone.

"What do you want, you git?" he scowled.

Francis chuckled melodically. "Have you forgotten our mission, Arthur?"

His brows furrowed. "Huh?"

"I'm waiting outside your house right now and myself nor Elizabeta are particularly impressed by your performance, so far," Francis replied. "Get up and get ready for your date."

"Huh?"

"It's Valentine's Day, and if we're going to make Roderich seethe with the ultimate jealousy, then we need to have a date that'll make him extremely annoyed," Francis explained carefully. "That's why I've booked tickets for the pair of you to go to see Elizabeta's favourite band later on today. She needs to take enough pictures of the pair of you to put on Instagram and Facebook so Roderich will see you both going out and doing things that he would normally do with her."

"Well, sure," he swallowed.

"Also, you've planned lunch in the city today, and you're taking her to an ice skating rink," Francis explained. "Dress for the occasion."

"Ice skating?" Arthur knew that was going to be a disaster.

"Come on, otherwise you won't have time to eat lunch _and_ ice skate," Francis insisted. "You have five minutes to make yourself presentable."

His friend disconnected the call and he groaned. He would've liked to stay home and keep an eye on Peter. However, as things were, he had agreed to help Elizabeta with Roderich, and he could hardly refuse when she was waiting in the car outside with Francis. Not only that, but Francis had booked an entire evening of events for them. He was going to be tired for school tomorrow.

 **I.B.**

He was eating breakfast when he saw Natalya hurry downstairs, dressed up as if she was ready to go out. His brows furrowed as he watched her head towards the front door.

"You going somewhere today?" he asked through a mouthful of cereal.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," she grimaced, but walked over. "And yes, I'm out in the mall with some friends. It's an anti-Valentine's thing we're doing."

"That sounds a bit depressing," he commented.

"Well, when none of us have a boyfriend to spend the day with, but there's all sorts of advertisements on TV, you feel you need to do _something_ ," she shrugged. "It's just to preoccupy the time."

He was fairly sure she didn't have any friends, but was too afraid to ask, because Natalya was extremely scary when she was mad.

Instead, he chose to be passive. "Have fun, then…"

"Yeah," she briefly hugged him before heading out, closing the door with a slam behind her.

He had forgotten to offer her a lift; she'd probably booked a taxi at this rate, although she hadn't asked either. Perhaps one of her friends had learnt to drive relatively quickly? He went back to his cereal when he received a sudden text. Tiredly, he glanced at it, expecting it to be Natalya asking for a lift, but saw Mei's name instead.

He read it: " _Help!_ "

He wondered what that could mean and responded with concern. Her response came almost immediately, and he shouldn't have been surprised to see what she said, although he was.

" _I can't ask Kiku to spend the day with me but I told my mum I was busy and don't want to go to the garden centre with her! Can you?_ "

Inwardly groaning, he was too nice, and replied he would. He had wanted to spend the day at home, relaxing and readying himself for his exams in about two or three weeks. However, he would always stick up for his Buddy when she needed him. He found he was spending almost every weekend with her now… His time was more focused on Mei than it was on himself. If there was an award for the best friend, Ivan was fairly sure it would be given to him.

 **A.J.**

He had headed to the mall early, and he was extremely nervous. He wasn't sure why he was so anxious, when Natalya had been round his house almost all day yesterday. However, he was worrying a little. He watched a taxi swing round and she stepped out. She looked very nice, dressed in sleeveless polo neck shirt and a pastel blue skirt. She wore a grey coat and trainers with dark tights. Her shimmering platinum hair was tied back.

"Hey," he began, just as she kissed him briefly upon sight and took his hand.

"Let's go," she said and led him into the mall.

There was a major theme of pink, white and red in the mall, with hearts and banners decorating almost every shop. There were all sorts of promotions urging people to buy things to make the best Valentine's around. Alfred was just content to have Natalya by his side as they wandered past other couples in the mall.

They stopped before the pizza place which Natalya urged him to inside. He had never been here before, even though he'd seen it several times in the past. It always looked pleasant, with loads of people inside, and today was no different. They were relatively early for lunch, so there weren't too many people, and Alfred guessed only students would be having pizza for Valentine's Day, because the majority of faces in here he could see so far were those from high school to university ages.

The pair of them settled down, ready for their pizza.

 **F.V.**

"Look, I'm going out again today, but you need to tell Papa I'm doing it for studies if he asks," Fel said.

"He won't care," Lovino insisted.

"That's not the point," Fel sighed. "I'm spending the day with Michelle today, and I don't want to ruin it like I did yesterday with Kiku's birthday."

"That's wasn't necessarily _your_ fault," Lovi mumbled.

"Yeah, well, he thinks you messed up your lunch," he scowled. "He was cool with it; I apologised later on over the phone and he insisted everything was fine. He's going out with his parents today. But I'm spending the day with Michelle, because I promised."

"Why don't you just tell your friends the truth?" Lovino suddenly said as Fel headed for the front door.

He froze on the spot, hand cradling the door handle, and he stared at the wooden surface in front of him, not daring to turn and meet his brother's gaze.

"I mean, once I told Antonio, things got a lot better," Lovino mumbled. "I mean, I'm still _here_ , but it made things easier."

Feliciano stared at the door, feeling the corners of his mouth tugging down with misery. He didn't need this right now. Not when he was about to have a date with Michelle and embrace the spirit of Valentine's Day.

"I don't want to worry them with things there's nothing they can do about," he said plainly, before throwing open the door and slamming it shut behind him.

He may not have been able to drive yet, but he said he'd meet Michelle at the train station, and she had agreed to that.

 **F.B.**

He stepped out of the car after they stopped by a train station. Arthur and Elizabeta both gave him questioning stares as he adjusted his coat.

"Where are you going?" Arthur asked, mild panic in his voice.

"I can't _stay_ with you," Francis said, aghast. "Besides, I have plans for the day. You needn't worry; you're in good hands."

Considering the man driving the car had been the same one to help them escape a group of criminals in October, Francis was surprised Arthur didn't feel perfectly safe under his watch.

"Will you be fine, Mr Bonnefoy?" his chauffeur asked pleasantly.

"I'll be perfectly OK," Francis beamed. "I'm just going to take the train back down and meet Lien for a nice lunch."

"You're doing what?" Arthur blinked.

"I texted her and she agreed," he winked. "I really think she's falling for me."

"Right…" his friend scowled. "And what do _we_ do?"

"Stick to the plan," Francis instructed, buttoning up his coat from the cold. "Have lunch, go ice skating and then have dinner, and go to the concert. My man has the directions, so don't worry about that, and Elizabeta has all the timings on her phone. Be natural."

"Fine," Arthur sighed.

" _Au revoir_ ," Francis twiddled his fingers as he closed the door, and watched the car continue on its path and disappear from view.

He walked towards the train, checking to see if his shoes were clean and was pleasantly surprised they were even shining. Francis was all about presentation, and he would make sure Lien would attend the Charity Ball with him by the end of the week.

 **I.B.**

He was getting more used to hanging out with Mei, despite their extremely rocky start. Now that he could drive, he was more flexible, and had offered himself to pick her up from his house. His experience now meant he knew to just dress casually and that was deemed perfectly acceptable. He had become oddly attached to the scarf his sister had given him, even if it was only because she herself didn't wear it anymore.

He stopped outside Mei's house, a cute little place located amongst other houses that were very similar or identical. Stepping out of the car, he took a deep breath. The last he had seen any of Mei's family, it had been her father, sending him daggers from the seat of his car. With every ounce of confidence he could muster, he walked to the door and knocked, before noticing the doorbell. Clumsily, he pressed it, then completely regretted it, because they had probably heard him knocking. Now he seemed rude, insistently knocking and ringing the doorbell.

The door opened to see the same haggard man from before, a tired frown on his face. His eyes travelled up to his Ivan's face and his eyebrows rose on his forehead. It was almost comical, to see the short man inhale deeply at the very sight of him, but Ivan didn't particularly come here to terrify Mei's relatives.

"Hi," he said awkwardly. "Is Mei in?"

Instantly, the man's – Mr Xiao's – countenance changed. His eyes hardened and he became very steely. The gaze he cast over Ivan became suddenly judgemental, and a frown twisted across his face, mirroring the same expression as before. Ivan was greatly surprised at how protective Mei's father was, compared to his own father, who granted Natalya more freedom than he ever did with Katyusha.

"Ivan, hey," she suddenly bustled down the stairs, wearing a cute, black dress with a denim jacket and platform shoes. "Sorry, I just left my bag upstairs. Hey, dad. I'm having lunch with Ivan at the mall; I'll probably be gone a while. See you."

The poor father opened his mouth, but Mei just kissed him on the cheek and bustled Ivan down the drive. He cast a wave over his shoulder, but saw the terrifying look on Mr Xiao's face and winced away. Mei was seemingly unaware of the vicious looks her father was sending him, because she gazed at Ivan's car with a look of awe on her face.

"This is so cool," she looked dwarfed compared to the large vehicle, even with the high shoes on.

Would she need help getting in? Apparently not, because she had already rounded to the passenger seat and climbed in. Ivan got into the driver's seat and saw one angrier glare from Mr Xiao before he started the engine in his fear and blitzed away from the drive.

"You're a fast driver," she commented, but that was it, and it wasn't a complaint either.

Ivan just nodded, allowing her oblivion about how much her dad hated him continue for just a little longer.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Sorry, it's a teensy bit late. I guess I forgot it was Friday, if I'm honest? The days are blurring together. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Feel free to leave a review, and until next time!_


	30. Chapter 29

**A/N:** _Hello, back again! I believe posting time has become Saturday morning, and I'm cool with that. Saturday morning is the best time for everything, in my opinion. Apart from sleeping. Who needs to sleep in on a Saturday morning? Apparently, not me. I'll be back at university next week, and I promise this won't disrupt my schedule. I hope all of you are ready to learn about Sumerian! Because I'm going to be teaching you guys!_

 _Without further ado, the next chapter!_

* * *

 **Chapter 29**

* * *

 **A.J.**

He was buttering one of the delicate bread bites with garlic butter, enjoying how the fatty substance oozed down the sides, and also inside, calling for him to cram it into his mouth in one bite. Natalya was biting into one she'd finished coating, and she wore a content expression on her face. A three course meal was not beyond Alfred's abilities, and something about this Valentine's Day was really clicking with him. He had never thought about how easy it would be to date a girl, but everything with Natalya was so uncomplicated. She was what she stated to be, and she wasn't always asking so much from him. Compared to Ivan, she was such low maintenance, and that was how Ivan behaved with his _friends_! Whoever dated the Russian would probably have a hard time…

He watched Natalya daintily finish the garlic ball, eating small bites and unrushed; she gazed upon the pile for her next selection. The way her violet eyes flicked amongst the selection was adorable. Alfred had gathered the opinion that girls barely ate anything, but Natalya seemed more interested in her food than she was him. Usually that would be off putting, but he actually found it extremely cute, especially when she seemed to select the largest remaining dough ball. Suddenly, her eyes rose to him and she raised an eyebrow.

"What's that dopey expression on your face for?" she demanded.

Alfred paused in his actions and scrambled for words. He didn't want to tell her that he enjoyed watching her eat, but that was exactly why he probably wore a soppy expression.

"I was…" he tried to find the right words. "Enjoying the meal."

"The food is great here," she suddenly enthused. "I go here a lot with my dad and siblings. Kat absolutely loves the dough balls, so I usually have those with her."

He liked hearing about her life. He loved listening to her talk. Alfred sat there and let the truth suddenly sit on his shoulders like a much welcomed weight. He _loved_ Natalya. Everything she did and said just fit so much to him and he could happily spend all his time with her, doing whatever he wanted. It was likely that she would casually go along with his hobbies, as she'd done so far. Alfred had heard love changed people; perhaps he had changed in his attitude towards life, but he felt he definitely changed in the fact that he was completely smitten with Natalya Braginskaya.

Quick as a flash, he grabbed the one she'd just been reaching for and watched near fury appear in her face.

"What was that for?" she complained as he cracked it open and buttered it. "That one looked like one of the best…"

He held it out towards with a smile on his face and watched her jaw tighten a little.

"Absolutely not," she said.

"C'mon," he grinned, shaking the dough ball a little.

There was a pause as she fought back a smile, and then it broke free, just the corners of her mouth turning up. She relaxed her jaw and leant forward, taking a bite into the dough ball. She looked really cute, with a flush creeping along her cheeks. He had never imagined himself being in that close relationship where partners fed one another.

Sudden horror appeared in her face and she grabbed the dough ball, cramming it whole into her mouth and leaning back instantly. The moment crashed and burned, and Alfred felt almost offended that she was so eager to break the moment. He turned to see what she was looking at, mildly irritated, and then instantly regretted it.

Ivan had just walked into the pizza parlour.

He hadn't seen them, Alfred guessed, otherwise he wouldn't appear so calm.

"Shit," Natalya ducked her head, but the waiter thankfully directed Ivan straight past them. "What's he doing here? He was just at home."

"He's with a girl," Alfred whispered, watching as they were seated with, thankfully, Ivan's back to them.

"That's Mei Xiao," Natalya narrowed her eyes. "What's he doing with _her_?"

"Is she his Buddy?" Alfred suggested.

"I think so," Natalya whispered back. "We have to _leave_."

"But we ordered our main," Alfred panicked.

"Exactly," she bit her lip. "And the dessert here is really good."

"What do we do?" Alfred said desperately.

"Alright, here's our plan," Natalya said seriously. "We keep our heads down, and we eat our food like nobody's business. We'll speak quietly with indoor voices and get the bill as soon as we can; but you need to try the dessert here. Once we're done, we pay and we leave faster than lightning and we pray he doesn't see us."

"OK," Alfred replied nervously. Ivan had threatened to kill him if he should ever see Natalya again. Personally, he didn't want to find out how bold Ivan was to his claims.

 **F.V.**

He met Michelle in the mall without any problems. She was waiting for him by the fountain, and blushed to see him approaching. He had been extremely excited about this date, especially as it was on Valentine's Day. Although he couldn't provide for Michelle an absolutely fantastic day packed with adventure, Fel knew that she could appreciate a day filled with love and emotion just as much. Besides, she really wasn't a materialistic girl, and that was one thing Fel loved about her. As much as he wanted to be the man who could afford beautiful gifts that would make her gush, he knew she would be just as happy to get the simpler things from life.

"Hey," she beamed. "I picked this up."

Thrusting a leaflet in his face, Fel inspected it and saw colourful slogans and advertisements depicting a "build your own bear" station nearby. This was their second date, and Fel personally wasn't averse to doing anything cute. In fact, he rather liked cute things.

 **F.B.**

He waited inside the restaurant, a smug smile on his face. He had booked a table of two the second Lien had agreed to eat with him, and intended to make his move there and then. No girl could resist the French charm. He knew she would turn up, but hid his satisfaction the moment he saw her enter the restaurant. Waving towards her, she approached.

She looked a little underdressed, but he hadn't exactly given too much about their location. Glancing around at all the formal attire around her, Lien seated herself opposite him and looked at him tentatively.

" _Salut_ ," he beamed, sinking back into his chair.

He had wanted to elaborately kiss her on both cheeks before pulling her chair out for her, but she had thrown herself down so quickly that his opportunity had vanished just as it had budded to begin. He pretended he hadn't even tried, hoping she wouldn't notice his awkward movements.

"How have you been?" he asked her, because it had been quite some time since they'd last interacted.

She paused, assessing him carefully, before dropping her eyes to the table. "It's been OK. Year Twelve's quite hard."

Francis didn't want to hear about school. He dearly hoped Lien didn't think this was some overly fancy meeting that was based around academia. He didn't want to talk and dwell upon her school life, he wanted her to open up to him so they could discuss more about _love lives_.

"I'm ahead in my Maths class," she suddenly began to complain. "Which sucks, because I have to wait for some of the imbeciles to catch up, and it takes them forever to do so. I already have it figured out, and I reckon I could be doing things at a much faster pace if it weren't for them. I've considered getting a tutor."

"I'm sure there's no need to get a _tutor_ ," Francis said. "As long as your teacher is up to date with the syllabus, you should be fine."

"Mr Tyler's alright, but he sometimes finds it hard to control a class," she rolled her eyes. "I've taken to using the lessons to consolidate my knowledge on each topic or revise other areas that we haven't done in some time."

Francis nodded, as Lien proceeded to tell him about the rest of her subjects.

 **A.K.**

He ate lunch with Elizabeta without any problems. He was usually one to complain about every place he went to, but he didn't have the heart to do so in front of Elizabeta. She seemed more anxious for Francis' plan to work as much as possible, taking as many pictures of her meal as possible and posting them on all her sites to celebrate.

In truth, Arthur wasn't entirely sure whether Francis' plan was going to work. As much as his French friend wanted to help Elizabeta's situation, there was very little an exterior force could do if neither Roderich nor Elizabeta had started anything by their selves. Arthur wasn't in any way doubting the possibility of them getting together, but he didn't believe Francis would be the one to make it happen.

After their meal, the pair of them went ice skating. Arthur had never done this in his life before, so he knew this would end in complete disaster. He didn't particularly want to make a fool of himself on the ice, but knew it was for Elizabeta's sake. What kind of a gentleman wouldn't sacrifice a little of his personal honour for the sake of a lady? Arthur regretted agreeing to anything as they purchased their boots. They looked like weapons, dangerous ones at that.

Awkwardly, he laced up his boots whilst Elizabeta took a picture of hers.

"We need a photo together," she added, scooting beside him and holding her phone out before them.

Arthur took the picture with her, but felt there was nothing more than a platonic friendship screaming from each grain. However, perhaps those who knew no better, and those who were seeing that moment replicated from another phone would instantly jump to the conclusion that their relationship truly was official? He couldn't really say for sure, but he hoped Roderich would say something soon, whether he did or didn't feel anything for Elizabeta. Arthur thought it rather cruel to leave a girl hanging on for how many years and still not tell her. He understood it was nerve wracking to potentially sacrifice a very close friendship, but at the same time, Elizabeta had been extremely obvious about her feelings towards Roderich, and his behaviour had shown signs of perhaps reciprocating those feelings.

"Let's go," she gestured towards the ice, and Arthur wobbled to his feet. "You OK, there?"

"There's one issue," Arthur leant a palm against the wall. "I've never been ice skating before."

"That's not a problem," she laughed, taking his hands. "Come on."

Even holding her hands, Arthur felt nothing but friendship between them. They were like two children, to be honest, one innocently guiding the other along. He let her lead him onto the ice, keeping a firm grip of her hands. Wobbling a little on the ice, and steadying himself swiftly, he caught a small smile from her.

He didn't doubt in the slightest that this wouldn't be amusing; he was already having fun. Elizabeta seemed to be enjoying this as well. However, Arthur absolutely couldn't push away the thought that kept insistently telling him this wouldn't work, that, no matter how fun it was, for the main plan, they were acting in vain. He wondered if she was thinking the same thing, but couldn't find anything in her expression.

The more they went, the more confident he grew. He was still terrible, and still had to rely upon Elizabeta's support, but she didn't seem to mind. In fact, each slip up she found a little funny, and when she laughed, the idea of messing up become more amusing to Arthur, until he, too, was chuckling with each mistake he made. There were children on this ice rink skating better than him.

Yet he doubted it would make Roderich any more inclined to tell her how he felt.

* * *

 **A/N:** _There's a build up! I'm really excited at to the direction this has taken, and I really hope you all enjoy it, too! If you would like, please leave a review! I love reading what everyone has to say about my stories, and I'm also open to feedback, if anyone has any! Thank you very much for reading Gakutalia: Love Is In The Air, and thank you all for the massive support you've all shown! After all, Gakutalia: LIITA has reached **4,000** views! I'm so proud that so many people would choose to click and look at what I've written and I honestly can't thank you all enough! So thank you again, and until next time!_


	31. Chapter 30

**A/N:** _It's the big 3 0! Whoa! Can I just say a massive thanks to everyone who has followed me this far through the Gakutalia series? Around 70 chapters of the boys just messing around in their school lives, and everyone has stuck around and been so supportive! It's amazing how far this has gone, and I really hope we all stick around to see the end of this series!_

 _In the mean time, I moved into my new student house... It's... awful. Oh my God. I've never been so horrified to return to something I once so dearly loved. When we looked around, it seemed so nice, but now, there's been all kinds of problems, and it's damp... and mouldy! Do **not** make the same mistakes as I did. Ask loads of questions when visiting a house you'll potentially live in; make sure to stick around for a good half hour in the least, just asking about the heating, electricity, gas, water boiler, security, location, the house's conditions, making sure if anything's broken- there's so much! I even checked a lot of those things, but we missed out some vital key points! We've ended up with an electric meter, which I didn't even think existed? Pay as you go for electric! How ridiculous! To be honest, when looking around for a student house, it's perfectly OK to visit the house later and ask the tenants' permission if it's OK to ask them a few questions about the house. Once the estate agents are gone, they'll be as honest as anything- you see, an estate agent usually tries to show you around the house when the current tenants aren't there... My sister and her housemates visited a house a second time, and theirs is really nice! I wish we had done that, but honestly, that's my advice! Don't be afraid to speak to the current tenants; if they're honest and decent people (which 90% of this world is, trust me), then they won't want other people to go through what they have. They won't mind telling you the kinds of things on living there that an estate should, but won't, mention (such as a pay as you go meter, hmph!) I really wish we had come back to speak to the current tenants, but the house captured our hearts and we were completely washed away with it. We'd already seen some very bad properties so this looked ideal to us. Don't get me wrong; it's a perfectly nice house. But it's definitely not worth what we're paying for it (roughly £104 a month without bills included). It's in desperate need of a deep clean and mold treatment, and the place would be 10,000 times better from that alone. Unfortunately, the landlady likes her money... so she hasn't been reluctant to perform many (or **any** ) of our requests..._

 _Just some advice from an internet person, because **trust me**. You don't want to end up in a house that's not worth the cash. It's really sad, but the letting agency just wanted to sell the property and be on with it. I can tell you, I won't be leaving any good reviews for them any time soon. A lot of these places believe they can get away with treating students badly, because young people are less likely to speak up about their terrible living conditions. We've been trying, with the help of our mums, but I can't say we've gotten very far at the moment... Hey, if anything changes, I'll update you all, but this message is largely here for your benefit. Please learn from my mistakes- I'm so bad at being an adult, aha!_

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 30**

* * *

 **F.V.**

You bought a bear template. You could have bears of several colours, and types, and Feliciano decided to choose a classic brown bear. Michelle much preferred a bright blue one. The next station was selecting a bowtie for the bear. This was stitched onto one's bear by the staff members at the station. Fel picked a classic red, because he felt his bear was pretty self-explanatory so far. Michelle picked yellow. The third station was any other accessories that you might want for your bear. Fel believed his bear was fine as he was, but a few white buttons sewn to his bow tie was quite a nice touch, in his opinion. Michelle's bear had pink buttons sewn to its cheeks to give it a "cute blush".

The final station was possibly the most interesting. You were given a little heart and told to write the name of your beloved inside. Fel naturally wrote Michelle, with a laugh on his face and teasingly telling her he would write Lovino's name instead. She threatened to write everyone but him. It was laughable and the atmosphere between them was just as relaxed as it had been before. Fel felt there were very few times when he could truly be himself, but when he was with Michelle, it was easier to leave behind the troubles he had at home.

Once their bears were "built", the pair of them left the workshop, bears in arms, and holding hands with one another. Fel thought it had been extremely cute to hang out with Michelle in this way. He believed there were probably few people who he would feel comfortable building bears with. He happened to think it was something special you could only do with particular people.

"It's been such a great day," Michelle sighed, because building bears had taken a surprisingly long time. "I absolutely love spending time with you, Fel. You just make me so… calm. Life just seems a lot easier when you're around."

Her words stung. It wasn't that they hurt and that she was being cruel, but much the opposite. She was devoted to him, and his very presence was enough to bring her the simple comforts from life. However, he had another woman in his life at the same time. Emma was just in the depths of his mind, asked to the Charity Ball rather than Michelle, whom he had kissed first. He had betrayed Michelle with Emma, and he couldn't tell her. Although she looked at him as the only man in her life, he had to stare her in the eye and pretend there wasn't anyone else for him. It was painful. It wouldn't end well. Fel knew this.

But he liked them both. It was terrible, but he wasn't prepared to let either Emma or Michelle go, and there would be an explanation needed anyway. He didn't want to break a girl's heart, so he felt it was better to hold on until the right moment came along, or if his own inclinations suddenly found a different direction.

"I love being with you, too," he said, and sadly, was not lying. "We should get something to eat."

"I agree," her entire face lit up to hear she could spend more time with him.

"There's this really good pasta place I know," he told her. "It's a little out of the mall and more on the main street, so a little bit of walking, but I honestly believe it's worth it. You wanna try it?"

"Absolutely," she said. "I love pasta."

 _So do I_ , Fel thought. Any girl who loved pasta was a keeper.

 **A.J.**

He could feel a light, anxious sweat break out across his entire body. The waiter serving their table was extremely slow, whereas the waiter serving Ivan's table was considerably quicker, making them level by the time they finished their main course. It was irrational thinking, but if Mei and Ivan left first, he would definitely be seen.

Needless to say, the food was good, but the atmosphere had crashed and burned the moment Ivan had entered the restaurant. Natalya had become tense, and Alfred was fairly sure he was sitting rigidly, staring into space with a tight frown on his face. He didn't want this to be awkward, but they were both fearing for his sake if Ivan should happen to casually glance over his shoulder. The moment had a chance to completely fall apart, if it hadn't already.

 **I.B.**

"I'm just not entirely sure how to ask him," Mei rambled, tucking into the large pizza she had ordered.

Ivan found it somewhat fascinating to see how much she could eat when under pressure. She was very small, not even standing at five feet, yet she had consumed most of their tear and share garlic bread, and the pizza she had ordered had enough toppings that she needed to balance the slice on her palm to prevent them falling off. Not only that, but she remained very slight. There were times when he felt he needed to compete in order to keep his meal.

"Thing is, since I haven't been attending the Manga Club, he barely knows who I am," she pouted. "With the whole mix up with Yao thing, I really don't know how I'm supposed to speak to Kiku now. By the way, you spoke to Yao, didn't you? No misunderstandings?"

She had no idea. Yao still expected Ivan to root for him in this mess. Yao wanted to go to the Charity Ball with Mei, but Ivan couldn't see that happening, what with her current interest in Kiku. It was all terribly confusing, but responsibilities had piled high on his shoulders, and he really didn't think he was able to handle them anymore.

"None at all," he smiled, hoping she didn't realise it was horrified and forced.

"That's good," she blew out a breath and glugged down some soda, much to his further amazement. "I wouldn't want to come in between friendships, or anything."

Ivan had to reflect on that, too. Yao seemed to have grown closer to Kiku as of lately. A potential rivalry over Mei could jeopardise that friendship. And it would be his fault.

"Besides, I hang out with you and Yao enough times in the week to start considering him as a friend," she closed her hands around her soda glass. "I wouldn't want to hurt him, so I'm glad he's been so understanding about this."

Ivan's mouth felt dry. _Friend_? She only saw Yao as a _friend_? Not only was he going to have to tell his buddy that the girl he fancied wasn't interested, he would have to add the weighty impact that Yao had been friendzoned. It was the worst kind of punishment, the Purgatory of all decent men who were cast aside by that one female friend they were entirely compatible with, but of course neither would admit to it or realise it fully until it was too late because some other guy would breeze into the scene and it wouldn't matter if he was a douche or not because the girl would-

"Are you OK, Ivan?" Mei looked concerned. "You looked very distant for a moment there."

Ivan blinked, his internal panic brutally interrupted, and that was probably for the best.

"Ivan?" she frowned, peering closer at him.

"I'm fine," he laughed nervously. "I'm just also glad that you and Yao could settle things. He was very measured about it. All a misunderstanding, and he's more than happy that the three of us can act like adults and stay friends, regardless."

She nodded, with a naïve smile. So naïve.

"Have you found someone for the Charity Ball yet?" she asked pleasantly. "If I'm going with Kiku, I'll probably see you there."

Her comment was so bold. It amazed him how confident she was that Kiku would be swayed within a week to attend the Charity Ball with her.

"No," he laughed, a little embarrassed. "I'm not even sure I'll go."

"Oh, but you have to," she frowned. "I think these events are really held for the fun, but one kid has to go and make it about social prejudice, which just completely ruins the mood for everyone. Whether you find someone or not, you should definitely go."

"We'll see," he was touched by her faith in him.

She nodded, pleased to hear it, and the pair of them continued eating.

 **F.B.**

Lien had filled their conversation with academia, and Francis was sure he was about done with it. He had wanted to progress his relationship with the lovely Lien a little further with this Valentine's lunch. He had hoped she would pick up the hints that he was suggesting romantic inclinations, what with the date and everything. However, she was completely unaware, ranting endlessly about the pressures of grades, awful teachers and even how one of her friends had a crush on a guy she'd met for less than a minute. Francis found it amazing how Lien managed to find as much about her daily life as possible, and how she could relay it on to him.

In all honesty, some part of him felt she was stalling. Whether this was positive or not, he couldn't tell. The fact that she had accepted his invite to _lunch_ on _Valentine's Day_ implied that Lien was perhaps more interested in him than he'd initially thought. If that wasn't the case, Francis couldn't help but feel a little screwed over.

He felt he needed to tell her, though, to get it over and done with. Otherwise, they would be hearing about her school life for the rest of the meal.

"Lien… I need to tell you something," Francis sighed, and she halted in her story.

"What is it?" she asked, measured and calm.

"Do you know why we're here?" Francis asked.

"To eat lunch?" she suggested.

"Anything _else_?" he pressed.

She instantly averted her gaze. "Francis…"

"It's Valentine's Day, Lien, and I've invited you for lunch with me," he said. "I'm interested in you, and I think I hinted at that before. I wasn't playing. I think we could try a relationship."

She blew out a breath and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "We'll have to agree to disagree."

"Would you not even consider?" he gawked. "You would just decline, without ever really discovering any truth behind this?"

"The thing is Francis, I find it honestly flattering that you've shown this much attention to me," she admitted. "But I can't reciprocate your feelings; I can't see myself in a relationship with you, and it's because I have someone else in my life that I love. I'm going to the Charity Ball with _him_ , you see, and we've been in a committed relationship for a few months now."

"At least tell me who reached the finish line before me," he sighed.

"Kasam Yodsuwan?" she said.

"Kasam…" he heaved out a pained breath. "It's always the quiet ones."

"I'm sorry, Francis," she said, and sounded genuine. "But you can't _create_ love. It just happens."

Francis lowered a hand from his eyes to look at her, and saw the sincerity in her brown eyes. She stood from the table and rummaged through her bag.

"How come you're not with Kasam now?" he said.

"I'm seeing him later," she replied.

"Ah."

Francis watched as she placed money on the table.

"What's that?"

"My share of the bill," she smiled helpfully. "It would be wrong for me to treat you this way and then have you pay for it all."

"Please," Francis grimaced. _Don't damage my pride further_.

"I insist," she nodded, before taking her leave.

Francis sat there, with eyes turning towards him.

Rejected he was. On Valentine's Day.

 **A.J.**

There were only two moments in Alfred's life when he felt _real_ terror. The first was when he and Matthew were young children, and had accidentally found a disc of _The Exorcist_. That had led to him having terrified reactions to all horror films for the sake of the release it had given him at the end; it was amusing to be scared to death.

The second time was when Natalya, when attempting to lighten the mood, made a wild hand gesture which knocked a tray of drinks from a waiter's hands, sending the glasses crashing to the ground and thus attracting all the attention of the restaurant to them. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, including his reaction, which remained sedate to the very last minute.

The very last _second_ , as Ivan turned in his seat and locked eyes with him.

* * *

 **A/N:** _And that's the end of the chapter. Enjoy this nice cliff hanger. I felt it was appropriate to place it here. Feel free to review- I really like reading what people think of Gakutalia! Thank you, and until next time!_

 _Kasam Yodsuwan:_ Thailand


	32. Chapter 31

**A/N:** _Hello, my wonderful readers, and welcome back to the next chapter of Gakutalia: LIITA! It feels like it's been a long time, except it's only been a week- perhaps that has something to do with my **terrible date** last Saturday! I believe when I updated last week, I'd been preparing to meet a boy later on in the day. It was a set up by my friend, and a blind date at that! Luckily, my friend was there on a double date, so that made it far less awkward._

 _Because trust me. It was awkward._

 _I was told this guy liked me, so I assumed he would be a bit more enthusiastic about the date, but I was also told he was very shy. I'm shy myself, so I hardly expected him to take waltz in and take the show. What I did hope was that he would be able to hold a conversation with me. Apparently not! Whatever I said was deflected by one word answers, or dead end conversations (for example, he talked about how he disliked his job, and I'm not sure how I'm meant to answer that), which made it impossible to speak with him. He was more keen on speaking to my friend's boyfriend (who was also his brother). Anyway, after more awkward and tense conversing, I realised something: for someone who supposedly likes me, he's not trying all that hard. I'm an incredibly shy person; I struggle to speak to people, and I find it difficult to make conversation. However, if someone else is leading the conversation, I can follow on and respond to them. I can tell when someone else is feeling awkward, and it makes me incredibly awkward, too. I'm good at talking back, but making conversation has never been my forte. It hardly helped that he wasn't giving anything back, really! Worst date ever, so luckily it was my first!_

 _Here's some tips about dating, based on this experience alone. You don't have to feel sparks fly and a chorus of angels praising the world when you see them, but you **do**_ _need to have a connection. I didn't have that. Just be yourself. I was, and it made me feel better that I could at least try and act normal. It's OK to admit that you weren't all for it- I had to tell this guy to his face that I didn't want to keep in contact, whoops! If conversation isn't coming easy, try your best to just talk about whatever- sometimes it just takes a little brushing off of the old nerves. And if that still doesn't work, then you can at least say you tried! Another of my friends is going on a date next weekend, so here's the last tip: don't be afraid to ask someone out if you like them! It doesn't have to be major- it could just be for a coffee. All that matters is that you enjoy yourself!_

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 31**

* * *

 **A.J.**

Fear was a very abstract ideal. His experience of watching _The Exorcist_ only aged eleven had sent him hiding behind the couch the moment things became weird. His instinct had been to disappear from view of the horrible things he was witnessing, but at the same time, there had been mild curiosity burning within, something that had compelled him to remain in the room, to see the outcome, no matter how much every muscle in his body urged him to leave, to escape. The emotions pumping through Alfred's veins had been both confusing and welcoming, because his ability to conquer his blatant terror became an achievement when he stayed to the very end, and he could pride himself that he was braver than any other man in the world. That was what Alfred deemed as positive fear.

The alternative had been how Matthew had been affected. Fear can be projected in many different ways, and for his brother, it had not been positive, but rather the opposite: negative. The type of fear that had taken hold of young Matthew's body when he bore witness to a rated eighteen film was one that paralyzed. The body turns to ice, the senses dull and blur, rationality leaves the mind and a sudden senselessness possesses the individual. It suddenly becomes reasonable to sit directly before the screen, and to hold one's limbs rigidly by one's sides, just as young Matthew did. That type of fear made you vulnerable to the danger, because the experience was a nightmare, and rather an achievement at the end, the victim was just relieved to have escaped such terrible things.

Predictably, young Alfred had not understood the fuss Matthew made at the time, and six years had almost taken such memories from his child mind. However, they remained, and that was why he was reminded of and reflected upon the many forms in which fear could take, the primary two being the positive and negative outcomes. In a very scientific way, Alfred could suddenly compare the two fears, and could easily conclude he would much rather experience the first one, rather than the second one.

Young Alfred had never believed he would be stricken by the same controlling horror that his brother went through. It was such a distant thing, and he arrogantly believed himself above such feelings. The present day Alfred could easily say his childhood self could be a complete and utter twat at times, and he was probably not the only one who looked back to the past and groaned with shame.

However, Alfred, seated as he was in the pizza restaurant chair, could now think back to himself and re-evaluate what had happened. He could easily say his younger self was fortunate. He did not have to go through what young Matthew had endured, and he could not possibly imagine what it was like to be frozen with fear. Alfred would never wish those kinds of feelings on a child; that would be too cruel. He could think things like this now, because he had experienced what it was like to feel the second form of fear.

The moment Ivan's violet gaze connected with his, Alfred's skin prickled and he was rooted to his chair, unable to move. His thought processes slowed and became philosophical, something that didn't happen to Alfred very often. His body became tense and unmovable, his breath hitched in his throat, and his senses were driven away entirely, the taste of pizza and soda suddenly becoming a sour memory that he really ought to have savoured whilst it lasted. That was when Alfred truly realised what his poor brother had been forced to feel all those years ago, and even those thoughts were fleeting in his panicked mind.

There was only one thing Alfred could sensibly compare this to, and that was a near death experience. The mixture between past and present could only be described as his life flashing before his eyes. It may have sounded ridiculous, but in that moment, Alfred was very uncertain about his future. The chaos around him, that being Natalya apologising to a flustered waiter and for her to be seated whilst someone emergency cleaned the floor, but also Mei recognising her and waving towards her, all became another world. It no longer mattered where his physical self was at that very moment, because his mind had entered some other reality that was both safer and far more entertaining than the real world.

He was drifting in a soulless, senseless reality, when suddenly, his brain restarted and he was back in the room, with Natalya hiding her face in the dessert menu, Mei on her phone, the waiter gone with the floor cleaned, and Ivan's eyes burning into his.

His mouth was set into the firmest of lines, and his body was terse. There was danger emanating from his very presence, and Alfred was not so stupid as to tempt fate. He did not pull a face, he did not do anything arrogant, and he most certainly did not move a muscle in a way that might provoke Ivan in any way. He stayed completely still, and the only thing he did was politely acknowledge Ivan with a gaze. It was dangerous ground, but if he were to look away, that would be inviting Ivan to want to compete, and he didn't want that to happen.

Alfred had never felt so much genius in his life, and yet here he was, suddenly thinking about how little a future he had left. He usually wasn't so dismal, but there was one thought that clung to his mind, and it derived from the hateful expression in Ivan's eyes.

Come Monday, Alfred was dead.

 **F.B.**

He was alone on Valentine's Day. Quite frankly, Francis had never envisioned himself to be that man. He always pictured himself as a man of romance. Whether this was self-delusion or actually fuelled from historical evidence was for everyone else to decide. Francis was done with trying to gain Lien's heart, because she had openly shown him it was long taken by another.

Was he upset about this? He was certainly dejected, and his confidence significantly lowered. However, he had never been official with Lien. Of course, he was disappointed that nothing would come up between them, but there was very little he could do about that. He could not miss what he did not have, and Lien would just have to be added to the many things that he had not experienced, with whom. Francis was an adult. He could accept that and move on.

However, he was _alone_. He didn't have his friends, because they were all presumed busy. Usually, he would like to hang around with someone, but Arthur was in the city, living it up with Elizabeta and actually enjoying himself. Each photo Francis looked at that she had posted depicted them both having fun. And then there was him, rejected and wandering the streets on his own. It felt ridiculous, but that was just how life wanted to treat him right now. Francis knew he would get over it. He could accept that each man had the right to make a woman happy, and if Kasam had just so happened to get there first, he would have to accept that, and move on.

Francis could do that, because he was sensible. He was the guru of love. Whatever there was to know about love and relationships, Francis likely knew it. He could at least make Roderich and Elizabeta happy. At least he could credit himself for that, and Arthur could be praised as his accomplice. However, he would have to keep looking for his own romantic tale. Francis was a patient man. He could wait for the right one to come, he was sure of it.

He smiled, a bit more of a bounce in his step, and decided to head home, where a glass of champagne and the hot tub would be waiting for him.

 **F.V.**

The pasta was delicious, and Michelle was sweet as ever. They had gelato as a treat afterwards, and Feliciano had never been so happy in his entire life. Michelle seemed to be enjoying herself as well, because she was laughing with him and they were sharing stories.

He had to question whether their connection was special, of if it was brutally outweighed and one sided as a result of his infidelity. Was the guilt that plagued him pure regret for what could've been between him and Michelle and what he'd ruined, or was it _just_ guilt that kept him sitting there, listening to her conversation? He could easily admit that it was _pleasant_ banter; he was enjoying what he was hearing, but whenever he looked at Michelle now, he felt he had betrayed what potential they had.

He had made many mistakes in his life, but Feliciano wasn't sure whether this one would be one of his worst to come. He couldn't say for sure now, but he was definite that someone was going to get hurt from this. He just hoped nobody got too hurt.

 **I.B.**

He drove Natalya home, and once Mei had been dropped off, the car was absolutely silent. Neither of them spoke to one another. Maybe it was for the best, because he was fuming inside. Natalya had _lied_ to him, insisting she was out with _friends_. Alfred had also broken whatever promise they had had between them. It was an offer of a truce, to let things move apart once more if he could leave his sister alone. However, it seemed that Alfred wasn't capable of that. It seemed his former friend was so wrapped up in his own world that he had become inconsiderate to the lives of others. Ivan would not stand for it. Words had to be said.

They arrived home, and Natalya fled to her room without saying another word. Ivan stood in the doorway for a moment, considering all that had happened, when he approached his father's study and knocked on the door.

"Hello?" his father said.

Ivan pushed open the door and stepped inside. "Father."

"Ivan," his father put down the pen he had been using. "Is everything OK?"

"I'm having some problems with Alfred again," Ivan closed the door gently behind him. "He's been getting a little too close to Natalya, and I warned him not to do that. However, he hasn't listened to me. How do I get him to listen to me?"

"You need to be a little more assertive, Ivan," his father replied patiently.

"And if that doesn't work?" Ivan tilted his head to the side, watching the smallest of smiles reach his father's lips.

"Then you cut ties."

 **A.K.**

The concert was fantastic. Arthur had never expected to love the music so much, but it seemed Elizabeta's musical tastes were considerably different to Roderich's. Arthur had danced to each song, a little, and had even drank a little, but not too much. His feet were hurting by the time they left, and they managed to get back to the hotel in good time. Just as they were about to sleep, Elizabeta paused before the mirror, concern etched into her expression.

"You alright?" he asked, noting the change in her countenance.

"I'm just thinking…" she frowned. "If Roderich hasn't said anything so far, why is he going to start now?"

Arthur paused, and glanced towards her. She was tying up her hair, but her gaze slid to his from the mirror.

"I… I don't know," he admitted.

"Do you honestly think Francis' plan can make such an impact that'll make Roderich confess any feelings he _might_ have before the Charity Ball?" she frowned. "I personally don't think so."

"I think I have to agree with you," he sighed. "I'm not sure Francis' plan will work."

She hesitated, but then nodded, as if he'd confirmed her greatest fears.

"Thank you for all your efforts, Arthur," she said. "You've been great. Goodnight."

"Night," he said, as she walked across the room, and turned off the lights.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Thank you for waiting for this chapter! It was so fun to write, and now that I finally have internet, I don't need to worry about using my phone's personal hotspot. What a relief! I'm glad you all took the time to read this, and until next time!_


	33. Chapter 32

**A/N:** _Hello all, and welcome to the next chapter of Gakutalia: LIITA! What a dramafest this is, my kind readers, so to briefly divert your attention, allow me to speak about my studies a little bit!_

 _I've chosen an entirely new set of modules for this year, and all of them so far have been very exciting. For this term, I'll be studying 4 different things. 2 of them are compulsory modules set by the university for all students studying Ancient History (i.e. myself). These are called 'The Study Tour', and 'Understanding Ancient Societies'. The second one is pretty standard- we have seminars and lectures for that, and learn about the civilisations of Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt and the Ancient Near East (also known as Mesopotamia, the area that covers countries such as Syria, Iraq, some of Turkey, some of Iran and Kuwait)._

 _The other one is actually really awesome! We've been told to select groups ranging from 2-6 members (mine has 5) and we go abroad for 15 days to a country of our choosing in order to study a topic we choose. Myself and my group will be going to Greece when the time comes, and my topic of choice is 'Greek Religion in Daily Life'. We have to plan everything- our flights, where we stay, the fastest route to travel, the museums and artefacts we want to see- all of it! The university is quite nice; they give us advice and £500 (around $650) to spend on necessities. Wow! We may have to pool in some personal funds, too, but it's an amazing opportunity! Travelling the world is expensive, but there's so much you can learn when in a different country! Unfortunately, there are places where we're not allowed to go, due to safety risks. For example, if the world was completely safe, and political crises didn't exist, I would probably go to Syria to further my studies on the Ancient Near East. As it happens, I can't do that, so I've elected for Greece instead._

 _As for the optional modules, I've decided to focus this term on Mesopotamian history. One class is called 'Mesopotamian Mythology', and it's a 2 hour seminar that I do every week. The module itself is called 'Seminar II', with various choices in areas students want to study. So far, it's been very interesting. The Sumerians had some seriously whacked up myths, particularly with their god, Enki!_

 _The final module I do is called Sumerian; it's a language module. I could've made my life easier and picked something normal, but I decided to study the world's oldest known language. The Sumerians invented writing, and their system is called 'cuneiform'. It's a series of syllables and words that are depicted through symbols and pictures. Seriously, just go onto Google and type in 'Sumerian cuneiform', and that's the language I'm learning. In particular, we look more towards the Ur III period, simply because there are more sources there compared to earlier periods of time. The Ur III period was set in 2112 BC - 2004 BC, so a very long time ago! However, Sumerian itself is far older, dating as far back as c.4000 BC, when the Uruk Period began. It was developed for administrative purposes, such as counting sheep and barley, and written on clay tablets using reeds. Amazing how intelligent people were to develop such systems from nothing!_

 _Anyway, if you're having a bad day at school, just remember that XOs decided to throw her life away by studying a 6,000 year old language that even the experts of that field don't fully understand! Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

 **QUICK NOTE: If you have not read _King Lear_ , and don't want to witness any spoilers concerning the play, I would suggest you not read this chapter. There is a website I have referenced at the very bottom of the page where you can read it if you don't have a personal copy. There are also plenty of book sites and stores where you can purchase _King Lear_ , but only if you have the funds to splash, as I don't want to encourage neglect to the book selling industry! Thank you very much for reading this!**

* * *

 **Chapter 32**

 **Y.W.**

He saw Ivan walking into school with his sister that morning. It was one of those chance meetings that provided them the opportunity to talk. He felt like it had been ages since he's seen or spoken to Ivan, and after the weekend, he felt they _needed_ to talk. As he neared, he saw the stony expressions on both Braginsky siblings' faces, and hesitated in his steps. However, he quelled his spirit's trembling and fell into step beside Ivan.

"Hey, aru," he smiled up at him. "How was your weekend? Mine was rather lonely, spent eating takeout Chinese because even my _parents_ were busy on Valentine's Day whilst I wasn't."

Ivan had the grace to look uncomfortable. "Mine was… OK?"

"OK?" Yao's eyebrows rose. "What did you do to ease away the pain of loneliness?"

Both Natalya and Ivan were looking at him at this stage. He could not quite tell the almost guilty expression written on his friend's face, but the sister certainly wore a suspicious look.

"I was… spending it with my father and lovely sister, da?" Ivan smiled kindly.

"Lucky, aru," Yao whipped out his phone. "When did Mei become part of the family?"

"W-what?" Ivan grimaced.

"Because _Facebook_ tells me a completely different story, aru," Yao scowled. "One where you went for a three course meal with Mei. At the mall. For lunch. On Valentine's Day. That strikes me as rather odd for my supposed _wingman_ , aru."

The three of them stopped walking on the pavement and stepped aside to let other students pass through the entrance gate.

"I'll see you after school, brother," Natalya mumbled, and fled before things could get worse.

Ivan sucked in a deep breath and nodded towards her, before looking back at Yao with desperation in his eyes.

"First of all, I would like to clarify that _she_ asked _me_ , and that it was purely platonic," he rambled. "And secondly, she added you?"

"Of course she added me," Yao stared in disbelief. "One minute you tell me she fancies me and now she's asking you out on Valentine's Day? Are you _sure_ it was as 'friendly' as you're inclined to make it out to be, aru?"

"She wanted _advice_ ," Ivan said.

Yao folded his arms. "Does she like me, aru?"

"Yes," he said quickly. "There's nothing between Mei and I. I promise you that, da?"

Yao found that Ivan was one of those people who truly were genuine in their sincerity. The pleading expression was enough to indicate that he'd overreacted and jumped to conclusions. With a sigh, he crammed his phone into his pocket and continued walking, with Ivan falling into step beside him.

"Sorry, aru," he said. "I just… worried, is all."

"It's fine," Ivan shrugged.

"I'm thinking of asking her to the Charity Ball," he explained. "If she's interested in me, it would be the perfect way to express my feelings. Valentine's Day would probably have been the perfect opportunity, but I don't think _I_ was quite ready. With the Charity Ball, though, it's not too much."

"I mean… if you're ready," Ivan had paled. "Go for it?"

"You don't think I should, aru?" Yao frowned.

"I mean… think about it," Ivan glanced at him. "It's a very formal event for _Year Thirteen_. It's quite a big deal if you're an _outsider_ who's invited."

Ivan had a point. Technically, the Charity Ball was an ordeal for someone younger who was invited. Perhaps it would be seen as very special if he invited Mei? He didn't know whether he wanted to jump into things too quickly… Yao was not the type to rush a relationship.

"Maybe I'll wait until after the mocks, then," Yao pondered. "After all, I wouldn't want to mess things up by going too quickly. She's a nice girl. I'd like to see how things could go between us, aru."

Ivan nodded politely.

"Yeah, that's what I'll do," Yao smiled proudly. "I'll ask her once the mocks are out of the way. I think I've got a pretty good chance with this, aru."

 **K.H.**

"So, have you two got anyone for the Charity Ball?" Feliciano asked excitedly as they hung around the stage, planning their day.

"Well, I'm gonna go regardless," Matthias replied. "I want to see where my achievements lead me."

"Ja," Berwald agreed.

"I think we'll all go together," Lukas added plainly.

"That'd be quite fun; hanging around and seeing how everything went," Tino beamed at the other three. "It's a shame Emil can't come along."

"I could always invite him?" Lukas pondered.

"I don't think he'd agree," Matthias frowned.

Feliciano cast Kiku a strained smile. He couldn't help but laugh a little inside. The four northern European students could be so amusing at times.

"What about you, Kiku?" Tino asked. "Have you found someone?"

"Well, there was a girl I met some time ago…" Kiku frowned. "But I don't think I'll ask her. I don't know her well enough."

"True, you'd want someone you knew a bit better," Tino shrugged. "No reason not to talk to her, though. What's her name?"

Kiku thought for a moment. "Hmm, can't remember. She's in the year below."

"I'll ask around," Tino offered. "Emil will know. What does she look like?"

"Long, straight dark hair, brown eyes, roundish face, very small," Kiku said. "Cat pins; she wears them in her hair a lot."

"I'll ask," Tino nodded.

"She's very cute," Feliciano added. "From the sounds of it."

"And Ludwig?" Tino turned his attention to their German friend, who was assessing sheets of paper with a rigidly furrowed brow.

"Hmm?" Ludwig looked up, disinterested surprise on his face.

"You going to the Charity Ball with anyone?" Matthias butted in with a wide smile.

"Germaine," he replied plainly, before looking back down at the paper.

"Wait, what?" Feliciano gawked. "You never told me?"

"We arranged it last night," Ludwig said. "I felt she'd want to see her progress, offered and she agreed."

"You didn't say it like that, did you?" Feliciano grimaced.

"I might have," Ludwig shot him a brief glare. "Germaine and I are merely friends, Fel. She was more than happy to come along to see how the event turned out. We both have high hopes."

Kiku hoped Ludwig still intended to enjoy himself, rather than stand around and pull the strings from behind. He could never bear to see such efforts get wasted in vain, and discarded. That seemed far too unjust, especially when all his friends had done was make sure he was always having the best of times.

Just then, Mrs Ramsay strode into the room, waving her arms around to gain the class' attention. "Lesson's starting, all. Please take your positions."

 **A.J.**

He had managed to avoid Ivan all morning, but now, it seemed he was out of luck. As it so happened, they were running through the last few scenes of Act Three today, and they were currently doing a walk around read through of the script. Ivan just so happened to be at the start of the scene, alongside Yao, Emma, Elizabeta and some others.

He wasn't particularly paying attention, but knew that Roderich had to enter the stage at one point, and suddenly Basch and Heracles were approaching him, with serious looks on their faces. Alfred consulted the script, suddenly realising he was needed. He barely had time to react before the two had grabbed his arms and hauled him out onto the stage. Yao, Elizabeta and Roderich were no longer present. It was just he, Emma and… Ivan.

There was a wild look in his expression that somehow went beyond the play, that was all Alfred could think. Even Emma looked a little unsettled when the she glanced at him.

He was forced down into a seat, with Basch and Heracles holding him in place. There was some aggressive, unfriendly talk about a letter, where Emma pretended to pluck Alfred's non-existent beard. Ivan hovered just to his other side, a malicious smile on his face. Alfred glanced down at the script and read some of his own lines, foretelling where in Dover the King had been sent. He had a bad feeling the more he read the lines, and as he finished with "children", he noted Ivan took a step forward- and he wasn't even looking at the script.

"See't thou shalt never," Ivan said slowly and measuredly, as if this one specific line had been necessary to learn word for word. "Fellows, hold the chair-" the grips of Basch and Heracles tightened on his shoulders. "-upon these eyes of thine I'll set my foot."*

Ivan lifted a hand, as if reaching for Alfred's face, to _pluck his eyes out_. Admittedly, because of the crazed light in his former friend's face, as well as being held down and thus made vulnerable, Alfred lost nerve. He took Basch and Heracles by surprise, leaping to his feet and stumbling backwards, past the chair.

"Alfred?" Mrs Ramsay exclaimed. "You're not meant to get up?"

"What are you doing?" he demanded, ignoring her completely- Ivan was the only one he was paying attention to right now.

The Russian tilted his head to the side. "Did you not read the play like we were meant to, _Alfred_?"

Alfred anxiously glanced to a disappointed Mrs Ramsay, and then back to the other student, who had his arms behind his back and was smiling with almost kindness, if he didn't know better. He could detect the true malevolence behind it.

"Cornwall takes out Gloucester's eyes."

 **A.K.**

"Someone could've warned me about that," Alfred was complaining to them as they left class, with Elizabeta joining them.

"To be honest, we were supposed to read ahead," Arthur scowled. "You evidently didn't, nor did you at least have the grace to read a summary of the Act."

Alfred shot him a quick glower.

"I don't think that's the point," Yao said. "Doesn't anyone else think Alfred looked like a complete moron back there, aru? I almost laughed aloud…"

"It wasn't funny," Alfred shuddered. "He had a look in his eyes…"

"As if Ivan was _actually_ going to tear out your eyes," Francis sighed. "You have such an overactive imagination."

"He has a reason," Alfred hesitated, watching to make sure Ivan left the room before him, which he did. "He hates how close I've gotten to Natalya."

"You're close to Natalya?" Arthur was genuinely surprised.

"Uh, yeah," Alfred suddenly seemed awkward. "I… I'm going to the Charity Ball with her."

Arthur had never believed, in a million years, that Alfred would find someone to go to the Charity Ball with. He had always seemed too immature to find a partner, or perhaps…

"Are you _dating_ Ivan's _sister_?" he suddenly feared all the more for Alfred's life.

Alfred hastily shushed him as Feliks lingered by with curious eyes. "I _might_ be. We hung out together on Valentine's Day. Ivan might've seen us."

"Well, it was nice knowing you, aru," Yao shook his hand emphatically. "I'm fairly sure he threatened to kill you the next time he saw you two together?"

"Get off," the American shook his hand away. "And he might have said that."

"Well, personally, I think if you like her you shouldn't let Ivan dictate too much," Elizabeta grumbled. "If Natalya wants to hang out with you, she has every right to see more of you."

"See, dudes?" Alfred gestured to her. "Someone sensible _does_ go to this school after all."

"Oh, Elizabeta," they turned to see Roderich catch up to them, a stiff and awkward, small smile on his face.

"Hey?" she smiled, and Arthur prayed this was progress.

"I'm going home early today to prepare for a music exam later," he said. "So I won't be able to walk out of school with you."

The disappointment was evident in her eyes. "Oh, OK. And good luck. I didn't realise you had an exam today?"

"Did I forget to mention it?" he averted his gaze. "Ja, I have one."

"Well, good luck," she smiled.

"Thanks," he said, then noticed the others were watching.

Arthur made eye contact with him, and saw darkness in his eyes.

"Oh, by the way," Roderich added. "Congratulations to you both."

Arthur looked at Elizabeta, and saw the strain in her expression as Roderich breezed away after his impassive comment.

Perhaps this was not progress after all…

* * *

 **A/N:** _And that's the end of the chapter! I really hope all of you enjoyed it, because I had a fun time writing Yao's character in this chapter. Anyway, I have an nice little essay to gradually prepare for. It's due to 6th November at 12pm. That might seem a way's away, but all the reading required for footnoting can be time-consuming and exhausting! Until next time!_

*Shakespeare, W. _King Lear_. Act 3, Scene 7, lines 1296-1297.  
 _I don't know if I can reference other websites on this site, but I found this on a nice website called_ .org _. You needn't worry about viruses- I've been on this website a lot of times. There's a section labelled 'Plays' in the home screen, and if you sort them by genre, then King Lear and the rest of them are easy to find. I like this website because it's accessible to everyone. I personally think one should read at least_ one _Shakespeare in their life, purely because he was quite the master with words. I personally prefer his comedies, but_ King Lear _is very possibly one of my favourite Shakespeare plays, up there with_ Much Ado About Nothing _. If you haven't read_ King Lear _, I really suggest you do! It's really good!_


	34. Chapter 33

**A/N:** _Hello, everyone, and welcome back to another chapter of Gakutalia. If I do say so myself, it's been an absolutely hectic week. I've barely had a chance to sit in front of my computer for a good two hours or so. It's very tiring, particularly when I just need to sit back sometimes and have some time to write and listen to music. Speaking of music, **Poppy** released her new album ! If any of you know Poppy, it might be from the slightly strange videos she posts of YouTube, but I think she makes amazing music! She released an EP called **Bubblebath** ages ago, and that's where I heard her first music and adored it. Her style is largely electro-pop, and she has such a calming and pretty voice. She writes some interesting lyrics, in my opinion, particularly her song 'Pop Music', which I really like. She's been touring around a lot, and I think she's come to the UK- I would've loved to have seen her, but as a broke student, there's only so many concerts I'm able to see without breaking the budget. I've already allotted that to seeing **Paramore** in January, and I'm really looking forwards to that!_

 _So, I'm sure I've said this, but I have an essay that's due on the **9th November** , at **12pm GMT +1**. I received my question, and I've been gathering loads of books to do some reading before I begin writing it. I'll be writing my essay on the invention of writing in Uruk and how it was used. That was the whole cuneiform malarchy I mentioned before, except I'll be focusing primarily on proto-cuneiform. Good luck to me, because as of today, I have less than a month to get this essay completed! It goes to 33% of my final grade in my Understanding Ancient Societies module, and I low-key want to die. It's only 1,500 words, but still. I have to focus on it over half term, which is always a good way to kill the Halloween mood. Not as bad as the essay due after Christmas that's 2,500 words long- hmph!_

 _Also, I'm posting a little earlier than usual because I'm going round my sister's this weekend. I won't be doing much writing/working whilst there, so I thought it would be kinder to post today, rather than Monday, when I get back!_

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 33**

* * *

 **F.B.**

Lunchtime was a little bit of a gloom fest. He was sitting in the classroom with Arthur and Elizabeta, both of whom wore tight frowns on their faces and look demoralised. He couldn't blame them. After a busy weekend spent together, Roderich hadn't shown a reaction worth the time. Was it possible that Francis had misjudged, and that Roderich wasn't, in fact, interested in Elizabeta romantically? Perhaps he had mistaken a protective friend's attitude as jealousy? If that was the case, then he was deeply apologetic for having raised Elizabeta's hopes with the possibility that she and Roderich could find love.

"He didn't even care," she was complaining to Arthur. "He was so chilled about it- dropping it into the conversation like that, as if he had rather expected this all."

"Yeah," Arthur nodded hazily.

"No need for that to drag our spirits down," Francis interjected. "We'll just have to think of something else."

He watched the pair of them exchange a glance. Something had changed in their expressions. The initial enthusiasm and determination had vanished. There was a twist in Elizabeta's mouth, as if there was something that needed saying, and Arthur seemed to be urging her with his eyes to say it.

Francis looked between them. "What?"

"The thing is…" Elizabeta finally managed. "I don't think we should continue this."

He gawked. "Why not? If we keep pushing, then Roderich-"

"Won't say anything at all," she finished calmly. "We've tried as much as we can; I spent _Valentine's Day_ with Arthur, Francis. Surely that would've been enough for Roderich to at least express _something_ if he regretted our relationship? He doesn't see me that way. I think we should leave things from now on."

"Oh," Francis couldn't help but feel the need to beat back disappointment.

"It's for the best," Arthur added.

"What are you two going to do about your…" Francis frowned.

"I mean, we'll just call it off by the time half term finishes," Elizabeta shrugged. "Anything can happen over a week without school, and we can make up any kind of lie, then."

"I see," Francis nodded.

"However, I'm extremely grateful for all the help you two have given me," she continued, fighting back underlying misery. "I appreciate all the things you've done to help me with Roderich. He just doesn't feel the same way, that's all."

She abruptly stood and headed for the door. Arthur scrambled to his feet and followed after her, with Francis a few steps behind. The pair of them left the room, leaving their French tutor lingering at the doorway.

"There's no reason to get sad about it," Arthur said to her.

"I know, but he's the only guy I've felt that way about," Elizabeta sniffed. "And I really thought there was a chance of us getting together. I've known him so long and I really believed he could feel the same way."

"How about this," Arthur, for once, sounded sure of himself. "Come to the Charity Ball with me, and show Roderich that he's seriously missing out. You can still enjoy yourself without him."

"I know," she smiled at the floor, and wiped her eyes. "I'll see you for the Charity Ball, then."

She turned and continued down the corridor. Arthur turned before Francis could pretend he hadn't heard a single word exchanged between them.

"Must you invade every conversation in my life, frog?" Arthur folded his arms.

"How very gentlemanly of you," Francis didn't even attempt to hide his nosey nature.

"Well, she looked upset, and I figured there was still a way in which I could help," Arthur glanced away.

"Don't tell me you're developing feelings for her?" Francis said, aghast. "Because that won't end well, given how she likes Mr Pianist hiding in the music rooms."

"I know, and don't worry about me," Arthur huffed. "I'm merely sticking up for her as a friend. I've come to know her enough to see that I don't want her being upset."

"When you put it like that," Francis dipped his head in consideration. "I agree with you."

"I really hope Roderich doesn't like her."

Francis looked at his friend with wide eyes and saw the aggression in Arthur's expression. His jaw was clenched, and his hands balled into tight fists.

"Arthur?"

"If he's been concealing his feelings for this long, and still didn't admit to them after all this, I think he's one of the most selfish people around here," Arthur finally looked at him. "If I were him, I would never do anything that would hurt a friend as close to me as Elizabeta."

This was all getting a little too serious for Francis. He needed to lighten the mood, to draw away a little of Arthur's anger. He could understand why he was getting so worked up about this, but there was very little they could do at this stage.

"Is this a secret love confession?" he batted his eyelashes and leant against the door.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Arthur gawked.

"Aren't I the Elizabeta to your Roderich?" he puckered his lips.

"Stay away from me," Arthur held up his hands. "And I didn't mean it like that."

Francis fell into step beside him. "But you would tell me if you felt that way?"

Arthur shot him an incredulous look. "Francis?"

"Because I love you," Francis smiled. "As a brother."

He watched confusion swiftly morph into mortification. Arthur's cheeks flamed and he looked away, refusing to meet Francis' gaze.

"A _little_ brother," Francis emphasised.

"You embarrass yourself," Arthur scowled. "Piss off and come back when you're _not_ drunk on your ego."

Francis chuckled. He deemed that was Arthur's way of expressing his own, awkward friendly affections.

 **K.H.**

He was in manga club when the door opened and the girl from the other day wandered in. For a moment, he was surprised to see her, but she must've decided to drop in like she had promised.

"What are you doing here?" Yong sneered at her.

"That's none of your business," she snapped, before smiling sweetly at Kiku. "Hey, there."

"Welcome," he replied pleasantly. "Are you here for manga club?"

"I thought I'd come along," she grinned. "I didn't realise it was in this room."

"I may have forgotten to tell you," he said. "Here's some paper and a pencil."

She took them from him with a contemplative expression on her face. And stood there for a few moments.

"Do you… need something else?" Kiku asked, worried.

"Oh, um…" suddenly, she became nervous. "I'm actually not very good at drawing and was… wondering if you had a few tips."

Kiku thought she was quite cute. He helped her for most of that lesson, finding a desk to sit at with her and draw some templates to throw in a few tips. She seemed to listen attentively, and as he was going through things, he began to wonder if she really was just interested in manga. In truth, a pretty girl like her was unlikely to be in his league. He was a nerd.

At the end of the club, he considered asking her name. That would be a good first step. She was right there, and he didn't see the harm in it.

"Oh, excuse me," he said as she was getting ready to leave. "May I ask you a question?"

Rapidly, she turned her head to look at him. "Yeah?"

He looked at her, one of the pretty girls, he imagined. She could never like someone as low down on the popularity scale as himself. She was way out of his league. He was so insignificant in her life that he didn't even deserve her name. Kiku could never be on the same level as someone like her.

"Would you like a card for next week?" he held one up.

Her gaze flattened. "Sure."

He passed the card to her, and she left the classroom without another word.

Kiku felt like he had made the right choice.

 **I.B.**

It was nearing the end of lunch when Mei sought him out, just before afternoon registration.

"We need to speak," she said desperately.

"Of course," he frowned, worried, and they stepped aside in the Common Room to speak.

"He was so _cold_ ," she shuddered. "I felt like he didn't even recognise me."

"Who are you talking about?" Ivan asked.

" _Kiku_ ," she said. "I went to Manga Club, and there was this one point where I really believed he was going to ask me out or something, or _at least_ ask my name. But no. He asked me for this."

She held up a small card.

"What is it?" Ivan frowned.

"A membership to Manga Club," she shrugged. "I don't know if I'll go again, but I took it anyway."

"That's a shame," he swallowed.

"I just wish there was a better opportunity for me to get to know him better," she stressed. "I mean…"

She suddenly looked up at him with imploring eyes, and Ivan instantly knew something was about to happen that would most likely get him in deep shit.

"There's this dance thing that my friend, Lien, is going to with someone in your year," she began, and Ivan felt his heart sink. "The Sweetheart's Charity Ball, or something. I obviously can't ask Kiku, but…"

Ivan watched her bite her lip and glance nervously around the Common Room, before returning her gaze to him.

"Please invite me," she clasped her hands together. "I at least get the chance to _introduce_ myself to Kiku; to _watch_ him even. We can go as friends- I'm sure of it."

Ivan stared at her, his mind completely blank.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she recoiled, as if he'd bitten her. "That was assuming you didn't have someone to go with! Of course, if you already had someone in mind, that's fine."

His mind was still blank.

"Ivan?" she looked uncertain.

He pitied her so much in her attempts to catch the antisocial Kiku's attention.

"Are you OK?" she peered closer at him.

"Yeah, we can go together," he said vacantly.

"Oh my gosh, _thank you so much_ ," she flung her arms around him, and he returned the embrace automatically. "You're the _best_ , Ivan. I'm actually _surprised_ you don't have someone to go with what with how nice you are."

She leapt back, grinning at him, and hopping from foot to foot. Her happiness was infective. Although he had dug his grave, he found himself smiling back and slightly warmed from her comments.

"You're the best," she grinned. "Thank you, thank you, _thank you_. I'll see you later."

He watched her run off and waved blankly.

 _What have you done, Ivan Braginsky_? he thought to himself as he fled back to his form room.

Not to mention he had also arranged _that_.

 **A.J.**

He got a note from Ivan in his locker. It seemed important. No matter how chilled by Ivan's presence he'd been recently, he knew this meeting had to happen sooner or later. He would rather sooner. He texted Matthew that he'd be a moment, and headed to the destination.

It was after school, so everyone else was leaving as he wandered back down to the trees. He had a bad feeling about this, but he was heading there anyway.

He was stomping down to the trees, and had just reached there, when he noticed the Russian student leaning against the tree, waiting patiently. He was tempted to turn and walk away, but Ivan was already looking at him, so that would be incredibly awkward. He strolled down the rest of the hill and stood near the tree. He almost half expected Ivan to pull out a cigarette and light it, like every enigmatic figure in a Hollywood movie would do. Obviously, Ivan didn't do that, but Alfred's imagination was creative. Instead, the other student assessed him, hands in pockets.

"What did I tell you about staying away from my sister?" Ivan sounded so cold; his voice was almost unrecognisable.

"I'm sorry, but I can't listen to your request," Alfred grimaced. "We're _official_ , Ivan."

"Break it off," he ordered.

"I can't do that," Alfred protested. "This isn't _you_ Ivan; you don't act like this."

"Don't tell me how I behave," Ivan snarled.

"You're not like this," Alfred insisted.

He barely had time to flinch when Ivan had grasped the lapels of his blazer and glowered at him, face to face. This felt different from the fight before; there was no heated anger, just calmly collected malice.

"Dude, that-" he winced, touching his neck where the collar cut into his skin. Alfred didn't have the energy to fight back right now.

"I don't want to repeat myself," Ivan said calmly. "Break it off with Natalya. Otherwise I will end you, da?"

He turned Alfred round and shoved him into the nearest tree. The air was briefly knocked out of his lungs, and he had to sit down to recover. Alfred was left to watch Ivan's retreating back as the other student wandered back up the hill. He felt a deep, painful clench deep down in his chest, and a frustration that he didn't know how to resolve. As he watched Ivan disappear, Alfred only had one question swimming around his head: where did it all go so wrong?

* * *

 **A/N:** _Thank you for reading this chapter, and sticking with me through Gakutalia! I'm so glad to say I've adapted to a regular schedule again, because I love sharing my story ideas with everyone who stops by to read them! Thank you again, and until next time!_


	35. Chapter 34

**A/N:** _Hello, again! Another week, which means another chapter of Gakutalia! I must admit, these weeks just keep on flying by! I'm getting a little nervous, since my essay is due in two and half weeks, really. I haven't started writing it and, admittedly, I haven't done that much reading, either. It's OK... some people aren't sure on their essay questions yet, and I'm going to get a lot of reading done tomorrow and throughout the week!_

 _I'm actually at home, at the moment- home home, not university home- which means I can get a little respite. I forgot what it was like to live in a house that wasn't infested with... ah, yes. A lot has happened since I last contacted all of you. I was in a rush to get to my sister's last week, so I didn't have the chance to tell you about an army of tiny white bugs that has taken residence in my room! Don't worry- my housemate and I have done extensive research on the matter, and we believe they're mould mites. They're only harmful if you have sensitive allergies, which neither of us do. Anyway, they like **damp** and **mouldy** rooms, so **no wonder** they're in my room! Honestly, I'm not joking when I say there's a lot of damp in one corner of my room!_

 _But that's not even the **worst** part yet! Recently, my friend and I have discovered we have **mice** in our house! Actual mice! I believe they're mice, rather than rats, because, if I recall, they don't have pink tails. Still, they're pretty big mice! I mean, they have cute faces and all, but it's not so cute when they decided to eat my housemate's bread! From now on, we can't really leave any food on the counters. We've even hidden our fruit away, because the mice took a liking to some pears that had been sitting there for, admittedly, longer than they should have been (can I clarify they weren't my pears?) so we chose to play it safe and not let the buggers eat any more of our food. It's pretty gross, if I'm honest, and I'm fairly sure this is a violation to our health, considering the landlady has been aware of this issue since, at the least, **July**. The only reason the mice can get access if because the house isn't sealed properly- we actually found the route they take to get inside! Really, this is something that should've been fixed, but is yet another aspect of the house the landlady didn't want to spend a little too much on... Really, some people only care about money._

 _Anyway, I'll get it sorted (somehow). It's just another thing to consider when getting a house. The mites I can co-exist with, because they're easy to squish if they get in the way. I've become a mite serial killer, sadly. If karma exists, I will be a mould mite in my next life, guaranteed. But the mice. They're not so easy to get rid of. I know there will be a lot of people who tell me to use mouse traps, or rat poison, but those are honestly so cruel, and they won't prevent more mice in the future finding their way inside._

 _But never mind me! Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 34**

 **A.K.**

He straightened his tie and looked in the mirror. A gentleman should look dapper if he's to take a lady out to the dance with him. He may not have had his own car, but he could always have his mum drive them and hope she wasn't too embarrassing. Tromping downstairs, he saw Peter hanging around the kitchen table, playing on his games. Admittedly, he hadn't been paying much attention to his little brother this past week or so. Arthur desperately hoped nothing more had happened whilst his back had been turned, although he couldn't guarantee much.

His younger brother looked up and his eyebrows shot up high on his forehead.

"You look different," he commented.

"That's the point," Arthur said. "I'm trying _not_ to look scruffy."

"Your hair _is_ a lot neater," Peter added.

"That's because its combed back," Arthur replied.

"Oh, Arthur, my handsome boy," his mother rushed into the room and lightly touched his arms as she looked him up and down. "You look so much older! That's not a bad thing."

"Thanks," he mumbled, embarrassed.

"Let me take a photo," she insisted, and although he grumbled, she took one anyway.

Arthur assumed that, like most of her photos, it would be slightly blurry, but she wouldn't be able to detect that, and he wasn't about to start waiting for her to take ages to get the right picture.

"I have to go now," he said. "Could you or Dad give me a lift to Elizabeta's house?"

"Oh, of course I can," she laughed, just as a horn double sounded in the front garden.

Rushing to the window, Arthur saw a familiar dark car, none other than the great Maybach that Francis had swung by in when they'd dealt with those punks. Either the previous car had undergone serious work, or a new one altogether had been bought; the paint was flawless and not a single dent or smashed window was in sight. Arthur wasn't sure why Francis was here though.

He opened the door just as his friend jogged up to the front of the house. Francis was wearing a full tuxedo, complete with a bow tie. He had recently shaved, and his hair was tied back into a low, fashionable ponytail. Francis usually looked quite neat and managed, so it only made sense that he should now look refined and clipped in a model-like way.

"Your ride is here," he gestured towards the Maybach. "There's nothing like a little fancy car to arrive in, plus a chauffeur."

"Why are you doing this?" Arthur sighed.

"To make it up to you," Francis straightened up. "For forcing you to help me and getting you involved so deeply. It's a little _gratitude_ , Arthur; take it at least for Elizabeta's sake."

"What about you?" Arthur grumbled.

"That's OK," Francis jangled some keys. "My mum bought me a new car recently for passing my test and I've been _dying_ to try it out. This is just the perfect opportunity."

" _You_ can drive?" Arthur gawked, feeling left out. Francis was younger than him.

"Absolutely," Francis said adamantly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, it's parked round the corner, and I need to retrieve it. Good luck with Elizabeta. My chauffeur's a good man, as you know, so he'll get to the right places on time."

Arthur watched in awe as Francis waved to his family, before he pranced back down the drive and round the corner. Whatever this new car was, Arthur had a feeling he would see it upon Francis' flashy arrival.

"I guess you don't need me driving you there, then?" Arthur's mother glanced at him with a frown.

"I guess not," he replied.

"I'll see you later, then," she smiled. "You'll have a good time, I'm sure of it."

"Yeah," he said uncertainly, wandering down the steps. "I'm sure I will."

 **L.B.**

He slicked his hair back and assessed himself in the mirror. It was very rare that Ludwig wore a suit. His large frame somehow made the formal attire look a little clumsy. However, it was the most appropriate way of looking neat. Ludwig had readied himself prematurely to ensure he was the most respectable looking he could be. Even if it wasn't necessarily his preferred choice of clothing, he would always turn up looking proper for such an occasion.

Whilst the Charity Ball wasn't especially important to someone such as himself, other than the organisation, Ludwig understood how much the girls valued the opportunity to flaunt beautiful dresses and fantastic hairstyles. This was mainly a night for them, and he could respect that. That was why he wanted to conform to the expectations. He was not about to disappoint and ruin someone else's night.

He wandered downstairs to where his father and Gilbert waited.

"Wow, look at you," Gilbert snickered.

"Better than you looked," their father cast him a snide look before nodding approvingly towards Ludwig. "Very good. Enjoy yourself."

"Yes, I think I shall," he nodded, looking forwards to seeing both Kiku and Fel there.

 **K.H.**

His mother finished adjusting his tie before she nodded with a smile on her face.

"Very handsome," she said.

He may not have had a date, but Kiku was certainly ready to make an appearance at the Charity Ball. Besides, he intended to spend most of the night with Ludwig and Fel. They may have had dates of their own, but he was positive they wouldn't abandon him in the night.

"We'd better hurry, so we're not late," his mother checked her watch with raised eyebrows.

 **A.J.**

There was a knock at his door, which he ran down to meet before his mum arrived. He opened it and saw Natalya in jeans and a hoodie, carrying a duffel bag in her arms.

"Great," she walked in. "How long have I got to get ready?"

"Plenty of time," he checked his watch. "Ivan didn't see you leave, did he?"

"Of course he did," she rolled her eyes. "But he won't suspect anything, especially since I would never turn up to a dance like this one in jeans. He's going to hate us so much."

"He's going to hate _me_ ," Alfred said, just as Matthew came by, already in his suit.

"You know, I'm probably the only girl who went to her date's house," Natalya added.

"I don't have a license yet," Alfred said sheepishly.

"You two need to get ready," he panicked. "We haven't got long."

"So much for 'plenty of time'," Natalya breezed past, already knowing where the bathroom would be.

Alfred shared a glance with Matthew and shrugged.

"Go on, get ready," his brother worried. "I don't want to be late because of _you_ , and I don't think Natalya would be too impressed, either."

"I'm going, I'm going," he insisted, dashing off into the house to get his suit.

 **I.B**

The clock across from him ticked. He sat there, watching it. Although he was perfectly ready, Ivan didn't have the confidence or will to pull himself together to go and collect Mei. She was probably waiting for him. He inwardly groaned. He had made mistakes in his life, but none as stupid as this one. Quite frankly, Yao would never forgive him. The circumstances made him look manipulative, especially as he'd told Yao to wait on making a move before half term, only to suddenly make an appearance with Mei at the Charity Ball. He put his head in his hands and exhaled loudly.

"Aren't you meant to be getting a woman?" his father asked, wandering into the room.

Ivan watched him approach the fridge and take out a bottle of champagne. "Yes."

His father paused, and turned to look at him. "Then why are you still here?"

"I think I might lose a friend tonight," Ivan confessed.

"The world is a competition."

His father left the room. So much for moral support, but then, what had Ivan exactly expected? His father wasn't exactly the type to give friendship advice, and he didn't understand the situation at all. Standing up, Ivan resigned himself to a fate that was inevitable. He had created this hell for himself, so only he could endure it.

 **Y.W.**

He was ready to leave, having brushed his hair and tying it back into a far neater ponytail. Ivan had been right about not bringing a date. He didn't have the pressure of needing to look his best. Of course, he didn't want to look terrible, but he didn't need to brush up to every inch of perfection. There wasn't a criteria, and he wouldn't be constantly worrying about what Mei thought of him. Tonight was to be spent having fun, rather than fussing over dates. The more he dwelled upon Ivan's words of wisdom, the more sagely his friend appeared.

He stepped outside the house, car keys in hand, and approached his awaiting vehicle at the end of the drive. Yao felt smooth tonight, and if he could carry himself pretty well, then there would be a lot of fresh new pictures to go up on his page. If Mei saw how he could be at parties, then she would surely be impressed. And if Ivan was right, she probably checked his page, especially if she fancied him.

 **F.V.**

"First things first, you give her the rose," Lovino crammed the flower in his hand. "Have you practiced your pick-up lines?"

"No?" Fel cringed.

"Why the fuck not?" his brother scowled. "Don't you want to impress her? If I was your girl, I would want to close the door on your face and send you scampering to the Charity Ball like the loner you are."

"I'm sorry, _fratello_ ," he frowned, lowering his eyes to the ground.

"On that note, are you sure you don't want me to drive you there?" Lovino said. "I mean, taking the train is definitely not the most dashing method of getting there, and taxi's not much better."

Fel couldn't imagine anything worse than Emma having to meet Lovino. His crude brother would probably ruin everything. As good as a lift sounded, he didn't want to risk Lovino saying something so uncouth that Emma would be completely put off him. Whilst it would make his female issue certainly much better, he would be genuinely upset to see Emma spurn him. If there was one thing he never wanted to happen, then it was for either girl to meet his family, Lovino included.

"We'll be fine," he insisted. "Think of it as a romantic pre-event walk."

"I suppose you can pass it off for that," Lovino shrugged. "You know, girls these days will fall for anything remotely sentimental. I think that's why all these playboy pricks get away with so much shit, whereas the nice guys are too shy to make a move. On your way, then. I know how you are with trains, and she'll probably ditch you if you're late for this one."

"Well, I've planned to be there early so we make it to the venue on time," Fel answered.

"Should've got that potato bastard to drive you," Lovino said.

" _Ludwig_ has a date," Fel replied pointedly. "Besides, he only enjoys eating potatoes a _little_ more than the average person."

"Just the same as Gil," Lovino scoffed. "Why are you still here? Get a fucking move on."

Fel knew there was little to no point in arguing with his brother. It would just end up throwing them both into a paradox, something he wasn't in the mood, or had the time, to put up with.

Straightening his suit jacket once more, he looked at himself in the mirror one last time. The impossible curl still sprung from one side of his head, and his suit wasn't tailored to his exact measurements. Plus, it was quite old, so its poor fitting was quite noticeable. However, he couldn't afford renting one, so this one had had to make do.

"Go on, or I'll throw you out," Lovino added. "You look fine. If she really likes you, that won't matter."

Sometimes, his brother really said the most rational things. However, Fel didn't have the time to think on the potentially reasonable being that lay within his brother. Instead, he had a train to catch, and this time, he wouldn't miss it for the world.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Thank you so much for reading, and if you like it, leave a review! I really enjoy seeing what others have to say about what I've written, and it's a pleasure to respond to anyone who writes a review! Thank you again, and until next time!_


	36. Chapter 35

**A/N:** _Another week, but here I am to bring another chapter of Gakutalia to you! I've currently returned home from uni for Reading Week, which means I need to be getting book smart for my essay due in a week and a half... What a drag!_

 _The trains were very hectic today! There was a problem on one of the rails, so there's been delays. Mine wasn't late, but half the carriages were sent elsewhere, so it was too small and overcrowded for the amount of people who needed it. Not only that, but the carriage with my seat on it didn't actually arrive, so I had to settle on for the floor with a few others. We were right next to the toilets, too, which sucked! It was quite nice that we were all in the same position, though, so it was a good opportunity to bond!_

 _Also, if you think you've got it bad, I've been given jury service! That means you have to go in and sit a jury- kind of like obligatory community service to show our judicial system is democratic. Unfortunately, it's during the Christmas holidays! What a way to spend my break... With any luck, it won't be a long case, or they won't pick me._

 _On a side note, I want to say a massive thanks to all of you who have read Gakutalia! This Fic has now received **5,000** views, which is absolutely amazing! I'm overjoyed that so many have stuck through not just this Fic, but also this series! The year began slowly, but I've been so much more motivated upon returning to uni, and despite my busy week, I feel so positive about Gakutalia in general! Thank you for reading Gakutalia: LIITA, everyone!_

 _Anyway, without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 35**

 **L.B.**

He ensured both he and Germaine arrived relatively early. As they had contributed greatly to the organisation of this event, he deemed it was only natural that they should arrive earlier to precede over what happened at the beginning. He suspected his friends wouldn't be there already, but he had the pleasant surprise that the other four who had made the Charity Ball come to life were already present.

Tino was the first to notice him, and waved him emphatically over with a bright smile on his face.

"I'm glad we're not the only ones here," Germaine admitted. "That way, all of us as a team will be able to discuss how things turn out."

Ludwig could only agree. He wanted to share the moments of arrival with the rest of his team. Whilst pink was not exactly his own colour of preference, it was predominantly the colour that built up the theme of the Charity Ball. Ludwig had let Germaine avoid all the tacky decorations, and she had done a wonderful job of selecting the finest roses to embellish the room with. Ludwig could certainly praise her for having done such an excellent job.

"I have to say, this has got to be the best Charity Ball ever," Tino said as they neared, and gestured towards the champagne glasses waiting. "Have one. We're entitled to start the drinks earlier, since we're here first, but also because we've organised this whole thing."

Ludwig liked the sound of that. He lifted one of the glasses and held them up amongst the others.

"We can hide these glasses," Matthias chuckled. "Then no one will judge us for having a second one."

"Mm," Berwald nodded.

"I'll judge you both," Lukas said.

"Hey, tonight everyone's supposed to enjoy themselves," Tino smiled. "Even if that means sneaking an extra drink- and I won't lie, I'm not about to hold back."

"Cheers to a successful evening," Ludwig said, glad to have everything finally done.

"Indeed," Tino said, and the glasses clinked as they all met one another.

 **F.V.**

Emma had liked the rose, and she wasn't averse to the walk, either. He had to admit, since she was wearing heels, it probably wasn't the most comfortable trip to do. However, he wasn't strong enough to scoop her into his arms and carry her to the Charity Ball. Not only that, but he was sick. Sick with guilt. Each moment he spent with Emma was only a reminder of how Michelle remained ignorant of the entire event. He hadn't told her. It would've been stupid to have done that, otherwise she'd have expected him to take her.

It was still cold, as expected of February, so the least Fel could've done was give Emma his coat. He felt he had done a very good job so far of fundamentally impressing her.

There had been no trouble with the trains, for once, but he'd been too anxious to text Ludwig about that and was sure he wouldn't remember by the time they reached the venue.

"You seem a little distant," she noted, glancing sideways towards him, her lips curving into a faint smile. "Are you OK?"

He had to push back the guilt for the night, otherwise it would ruin his enjoyment. Instead, he had to focus on the reasons why he was here with Emma. She was so nice, and she was very pretty, too. She was funny, and full of energy. She made him feel more confident as a person. That was why he was here with her. He did love her, truly, and he didn't want to lose her. He wanted to spend this evening with her because he knew they would both enjoy it.

"It's nothing, really," he shrugged. "I'm just…"

He thought back to Lovino's words. Apparently, girls succumbed to anything remotely sentimental…

"I'm glad to spend tonight with _you_ ," he smiled back at her, and watched her green eyes alight. "Kiku and Ludwig aren't quite the same."

That brought out a small laugh. She reached out and took his hand in hers. Her skin was soft, her fingers slim and delicate. Fel had to treasure these times, because he knew that, eventually, the time would come when he would have to say goodbye to somebody.

 **I.B.**

Mei kept looking in the mirror as he drove. She was extremely distracted, and Ivan was just as preoccupied. He knew that he was going to die the minute Yao saw him. This seemed all too planned. Prior to this, he had distinctly told Yao to wait after the Charity Ball. Then what had happened? Mei had asked _him_ to come with her. It looked like he'd purposely made Yao hesitate just so he could sweep in. Obviously, he knew the truth, but there was no way Yao would take any of his excuses. Did Mei realise just what damage she had inflicted? Probably not, because she had no idea that Yao liked her. That was on him, too, because he had lied to Yao by misinterpreting Mei's interest in Kiku.

He had screwed up majorly.

"Thank you so much for this, by the way," she smiled over at him, oblivious and naïve to the chaos she was about to cause. "I just think this is the perfect way for me to properly meet Kiku without him seeing my terrible art skills."

"It's no problem," he kept his eyes focused solely on the cold road ahead of him.

 **Y.W.**

He arrived, awkwardly, at around the same time as Kiku. He watched the Japanese student climb out of his car, just as he got out of his. It took him a moment to realise that, actually, he had begun to mend his friendship with Kiku. This was probably the perfect opportunity to speak with him some more.

"Oh, Kiku," he waved, locking his car behind him.

The other student raised his head and looked over, dark eyes wide with surprise, but his expression quickly turned to that of being relaxed once more. Yao watched in relief as he stopped walking and waited for him to near.

"Not coming with anyone?" Yao asked.

"There was no one I thought to bring," Kiku admitted.

"No, I know what you mean," Yao raised his eyes to the darkening sky above them. "I was going to invite someone, but then… I thought it would be better to make this a night about myself."

Kiku nodded. "I think I shall join you. Both Ludwig and Fel are with people…"

The pair of them walked inside. Yao gawked in amazement at the incredible designs of pink and white floating around in balloons, candles, roses and the sweet smell of perfume in the air. The committee had done a good job of organising this event. Yao suddenly felt it was a shame he hadn't come here with Mei. She would've liked this. Maybe she would've agreed to come with him after all?

Kiku was drawn towards the rows and rows of champagne glasses sat at a welcome table. Automatically, Yao followed him, because none of his closest friends were present at the moment. He would gladly spend the evening with Kiku, especially as he, too, had been abandoned by love-struck friends.

"Welcome, moi!" Tino appeared at the table with them, a wide smile on his face. "Help yourselves to champagne and food will be brought out within an hour."

Yao was glad to hear that. He was hungry.

"Thank you very much," Kiku nodded appreciatively as he lifted a glass in his hand- Yao copied him. "And thank you for setting this whole thing up."

"Did you organise this, Tino?" Yao gazed around, amazed.

"Oh, with the team, yes," Tino smiled, gesturing towards a few others, which included Ludwig. "And you're welcome, Kiku."

"You've all put so much effort into this night," Kiku said pleasantly. "And for that, I hope it goes well."

"I can't see any reason for error," Tino smiled, and returned to his friends.

Yao dearly hoped, for the sake of Tino, that everything would be fine.

 **A.K.**

Elizabeta had been widely impressed by the chauffeur. He truly felt Francis had overdone it, but at least this could remotely make up for Roderich being completely oblivious. He had come to find Elizabeta's company natural. At first, it had been a little awkward, but he had become accustomed to it. Needless to say, Arthur had acquired a new friend out of all of this.

They stepped out into the cold air, and she wrapped her pashmina closer to her shoulders. Elizabeta knew how to dress. She wore a long, emerald coloured dress that hung close to her waist, before rippling out to the ground in silky waves. It was strapless to an extent, with a lace halter neck arching up to her throat, a transparent green that left her shoulders exposed but also emphasised her figure. She wore silver heels, with a silver bag and pashmina. Her chestnut hair was piled up into an arrangement of fanciful curls, for which Arthur was dumbfounded that hair could even do. Roderich was seriously missing out, and Arthur was glad of that.

He took her arm as the chauffeur sailed away. "Well, this is probably going to be the most conflicted night of this year."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"You know how our year is," Arthur rolled his eyes. "Francis will do something, Alfred will do something, and Ivan will be involved, somehow. It might not be catastrophic, per se, but there's surely going to be drama."

"Have things been…" she looked uncertain.

"It's still very heated between Ivan and Alfred," Arthur admitted. "As for Francis? Well… the frog's a package deal of drama. He can't avoid it."

"You guys are a mess," she chuckled as they headed towards the venue that promised warmth and light. "Although, who am I to talk? My best friend is also my crush."

Talking about Roderich no longer seemed to sadden her, and Arthur was relieved for that. It was likely one of the stages of healing, and Elizabeta really needed that right now.

An engine hummed and he turned his head to see a flashy, bright aqua blue sports car. A white strip ran across the bonnet, but the roof had been lowered to reveal Francis blasting some kind of French dance pop, wearing a smug smile on his face. This was the item he'd wanted to show Arthur… and he couldn't help but feel a little impressed. Some part of him wanted to jump in beside Francis and test the speed limits of the car. However, now was not the time, so he was obliged to act disappointed in his best friend.

Francis neatly parked the car and leapt out, pressing a button that raised the roof, then another to lock it. "What do you think, Arthur?"

"Bloody irresponsible," he shook his head. "You're going to crash that."

"We need to take it for a test run at some point," Francis winked, and Arthur knew that his wish would be fulfilled.

He had to pretend he didn't care, though, for Elizabeta's sake. "Do what you want. _We're_ going in, because we don't want to stand in the cold, talking about cars."

"Allow me to join you," Francis joined the line. "I hope there's champagne."

"I hope there's a drink, full stop," Arthur grumbled. "Mind you, only half the year's eighteen, so I doubt they'll let us go mad."

"You don't want to go mad," Francis said. "You'll want to be sober to see what plays out tonight."

"What do you mean?" did the frog know something.

Francis looked at them both with a glint in his eye. "Well, for a start, Alfred's coming with Natalya. Need I say more?"

"So, he stuck to that decision, huh?" Arthur said.

"Natalya?" Elizabeta said. "As in, Ivan's younger sister?"

The pair of them nodded.

"Well, he kept quiet," she noted.

"Probably to save his voice for later," Arthur mumbled as the trio entered the venue.

* * *

 **A/N:** _And I'll leave it at that! Thanks for your patience, and please leave a review! I love hearing what people have to say about what I've written, especially with such a crucial moment! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have pizza to eat and Prosecco to drink! Until next time!_


	37. Chapter 36

**A/N:** _Hey, everyone! I've had a pretty quiet week. I've just been reading for my essay, which is due Wednesday! I'm going to start writing it today and, based on my previous writing speed, I think I'll definitely have it done by tomorrow, which will give me two whole days of checking through it. If I finish it today, I'll even have impressed myself._

 _A quick note, but I've been planning out a **really, big project** , something that I'm quite proud of so far. We're talking quite long, as in, I'm around 50 chapters through, and would say I'm still only a third through it. Naturally, I wanted the people's opinions on how I should go about posting this story. I can either:  
_

 _post it as one, massive piece_

 _OR_

 _post it in three sections (as it's roughly divided in plot to work out as a potential trilogy)._

 _Posting it as one story would mean I'd be working on it for a prolonged amount of time. Obviously, if people like the story, that would go down really well, but it would probably mean I wouldn't be posting anything else, as two stories running at the same time would be quite a lot of work. Alternatively, I'd be posting the story every week, without interruptions, so there would be agonising waits or cliff hangers. Moreover, the number of chapters would make it look pretty impressive, like one of those old age epics, minus to the poetic structure._

 _On the other hand, posting it in three sections would mean I take breaks per section. As in, I would post the first third, for example, and then leave it on a cliff hanger whilst I work on a different story (of which I have many planned). That might mean long waits between, say, the first third, and the second third. However, it does mean that, if people are getting a bit tired of reading about the same characters, they can always take a breather and switch to a different Fic._

 _I just wanted to ask your opinions on it, since I feel it's best to listen to the readers. If you have a particular preference, **just leave your comment in the review section, or PM me**. I'll make a record of the votes, and let you all know at a later date of what's been decided. Obviously, if I don't get a whole load back, I'll instead just stick to my original plan and post it as one, massive Fic, and see how it goes from there. I honestly don't mind how I lay it out; for me, at the end of the day, a story is a story. All of it will be written by me regardless, and the layout won't change the plot in the slightest, rest assured. I just want to know what readers find easier to stick to._

 _Basically, depending on what you want, you can keep it short and sweet with just saying **"one** **"** or **"trilogy"**._

 _You decide! And without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia._

* * *

 **Chapter 36**

 **A.J.**

"I don't know why I'm so nervous," he confessed, staring up at the venue, with Natalya beside him.

"I don't know, either," she grumbled. "All I know is, I'm freezing, and if you wanted to _stargaze_ , you should give me your coat."

He shrugged it off sheepishly and handed it to her. "But, seriously, Ivan will be there."

"This is a decision we made knowing the full consequences," Natalya pulled his coat on and folded her arms. "Besides, I don't want my brother telling me who to date- no thank you. I'd much rather have some choice, please."

He dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Still. I'm worried of what he might do."

"There'll be a lot of people in there, by now," she said. "With any luck, he won't even see us."

"Ah, of course," he glanced at her, and took hold of her hand. "You look nice, by the way."

Suddenly her cheeks flamed and she looked away. She wore a short, midnight purple dress that flared out around her thighs. It was a cute party dress, easy to move around in and, in Alfred's opinion, a little sexy, too. In contrast, her silvery blonde hair floated around to her waist, a bow tied in.

"You're going to have to use some better synonyms before you _really_ start impressing me," she huffed.

"There's a lot of words in my head, but some of them you won't want to hear," he began guiding her towards the venue.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" she glanced at him, alarmed.

Alfred laughed. "It's all positive, you needn't worry."

"I thought you were scared seconds ago," she complained. "Now, you're practically running in there?"

"Facing the worst in the only way to deal with it," he proclaimed, before adding uncomfortably, "Not that your brother is 'the worst'."

"He can be in the morning," she said, and it was the smallest things that made Alfred laugh, sometimes.

They entered the venue and were met with a busy scene. It seemed that students would take any offer to have a party. There were people from his year whom he recognised, but also plus ones that had been specifically requested, just like Natalya. He couldn't see any of his friends from where he stood. He couldn't see Ivan, either… Pink and white balloons bobbed around every table, all of which were decorated with a pure white tablecloth with a gold lining, and a small bouquet of brilliant pink roses in the centre of each. Music and a sweet smell drifted through the air, and Natalya's grip on his hand tightened. Was she… nervous? He was a little, too. This was, technically, the first time he had publicly gone anywhere with Natalya.

"Oh, hey, Alfred," Feliks breezed over. " _You_ have a date?"

The way he said it… was almost surprised. Alfred chose to be pleasant instead, though, because there was no point in causing a scene because of this.

"Yeah," he grinned. "Natalya, from the year below."

"Ivan's sister," Feliks added, with the slightest of smiles. "Well, have a good night."

He walked off, and Alfred knew it wouldn't take long before the entire year was aware of his arrival here with Natalya.

"I don't know why people are so fascinated with me," she scowled. "Am I really that amazing?"

"You needn't worry…" he said. "I think it's more the idea of _me_ having someone to come with that surprises everyone."

"That's very telling about you," she purred, and let him guide her closer to the champagne table.

As he got closer, he caught sight of Arthur and Francis. Grabbing a glass, and letting go of Natalya's hand so she could take one, too, he walked towards his friends. Francis spotted him first and developed a pleasant smile.

"Yo, dudes," he grinned, and Arthur turned to look at him.

"Oh, wow, you look strange with a suit on," Arthur admitted.

"You needn't worry," he said. "This is one of the rare times I'll wear this."

"I meant 'strange' as a positive thing," Arthur continued. "You actually look intelligent wearing that."

"Thanks, Arty," he pursed his lips.

"Natalya, you look _trés belle_ ," Francis said, peering past Alfred to get a better sight of her.

"Thank you, Francis," she cast a look at Alfred. "It would seem _somebody_ understands the true meaning of a compliment."

Alfred was glad to see she got on well with his friends. It was always difficult in a relationship when friends didn't bond with the girlfriend.

"That dress is _so_ nice," Elizabeta hounded on her suddenly. "It really suits you."

Natalya self-consciously tugged at the hem. "You look amazing."

The girls lapsed into conversation, finding strength in numbers, and Alfred looked towards his friends.

"Well, here we are," Francis raised his glass. "Halfway through the year, really. Here's to a long-lasting friendship."

"And a lot of drink," Arthur raised his, too.

Alfred held his glass up and clinked it with the other two.

 **F.V.**

The pair of them finally arrived, and although the warmth of the venue indicated it had perhaps been too cold to walk, Emma looked joyful to have spent more time with him. He had never dreamed that he would attend the Charity Ball with someone. It had been the New Year when he had flipped his coin into the fountain. Fel had never believed in all of that in the past, but it seemed that… his wish truly _had_ come true. He was amazed, really and truly, that _Emma_ , of all people, would be the manifestation of the coin's wishes. He was glad that she was.

"Wow, it looks so lovely in here," she commented, eyes shining as she gazed around.

It seemed Ludwig had done a good job. People were chatting and there were all sorts of suits and brightly coloured dresses. Emma had preferred green today, and Fel just hoped he looked up to scratch, even if the sleeves were a little short.

"Don't you think?" she looked at him.

"I think it's very good," he said. "You know, Ludwig helped organise this?"

"He's always doing things like that," she laughed. "He needs to take a step back for once and just enjoy himself."

"You know Ludwig, he can't help it," Fel smiled. "He needs to be in control- that, or the event has to run on such a smooth time that nothing can possibly go wrong. He's much happier when he knows what's in the agenda."

"My brother's very similar," she said. "You know, I want you to meet him one day. He's very nice."

Fel was a little anxious about meeting Emma's family, especially as it meant he'd be obliged to introduce her to his lot. Lovino wasn't exactly guest-trained and his father… Fel vowed to never let that man anywhere near to Emma or Michelle, even if it meant putting himself in danger's path.

"I'd very much like to meet him," he replied pleasantly.

"They have drinks on offer," she guided him along brightly. "I'll bet everyone else is over there."

He desperately wanted to speak to Ludwig. Fel, in truth, wanted to apologise in advance. He had never elaborated to his friends that he wasn't bringing Michelle to the Charity Ball, and he knew they'd disapprove. However, he couldn't let Emma know the truth. That would be the end of everything. He would have to take the time to explain to them both that this was a problem he'd have to encounter, and therefore something they shouldn't be involved with. He'd have to make that very clear.

"You really are very quiet tonight," Emma noticed.

Fel, it seemed, was a terrible actor. How was he supposed to play the Fool for 'King Lear' later in the year? Or, perhaps, he was just a terrible _liar_. His guilt threatened to swallow him entirely, but he refused to let that happen just yet. This was meant to be a night where he could enjoy himself.

"I'm fine," he insisted.

They slipped past the throngs of students milling around, until they reached the front where the champagne glasses were. He could see Ludwig's tall, robust figure in the distance, but wanted to take his sweet time. He knew his friend would cast him a disapproving stare.

"They've really decided to treat us, tonight," Emma commented, glancing at him, wanting his opinion.

He nodded weakly. His stomach was beginning to churn. Fel took a glass of champagne anyway.

"That's Ludwig over there," Emma added, spotting the German student. "Let's say hi."

"Of course," he swallowed, and followed her.

He shouldn't have been worried about seeing his friends. This was supposed to be a good night. Yet, as each minute passed by, Fel began to realise he had been an utter fool. He could never truly enjoy this night with the information he had stored in the back of his mind. He had made many mistakes, but believing this could be a good night had been a big error.

They reached the others, and he saw confusion cross Tino's face. One by one, the others turned round, noticing a presence, which included Ludwig. Kiku wasn't present. He watched the ice blue eyes of his best friend flit from both him and Emma, attached to each other by the arm. And Fel knew Ludwig had realised, that he had made the connections. In fact, Tino, Matthias and possibly Berwald had made the link as well. Lukas hadn't been present when he'd gushed about his relationship with Michelle, but the others had been, and he could see it in their eyes. They knew of his ways, of what he was.

"Hey, there," Emma beamed, oblivious to their concerns.

Fel was a cheater.

 **I.B.**

Mei had insisted they stop at a fast food place so she could panic gorge on some fries. That was why they'd somehow been some of the last to arrive. Ivan had been increasingly anxious the entire time, and Mei had worriedly confessed she felt nauseous. He desperately hoped she'd be fine, but also that Yao was an understanding man. Ivan had realised a confrontation was going to happen. At this stage, it was naturally unavoidable, and Ivan could see why Yao would be so upset. The scene appeared as if he had lied and chosen the same woman as Yao, fully knowing his feelings. He wished Yao would believe that he and Mei had come just as friends.

Really and truly, he wished he had come clean and just told Yao that Mei liked Kiku. That way, this could have been easily avoided, and the truth wouldn't appear as a lie. Ivan had been an idiot, and this was the price he had to pay.

"Oh, hey, Ivan," Heracles, for some reason, had arrived just as late as they had. "There's a lot of cars here. Are we late?"

"A little," Ivan shrugged. "But not really. Why?"

"Well, I was wondering whether I should just give this night a miss, because I felt really tired," Heracles said. "Also, one of my cats was being particularly friendly, and I wanted to make the most of it, and ended up cuddling her for nearly twenty minutes. She was very soft. So, it led me to the consideration that perhaps this night would be better spent with my cats instead of my classmates, but then I considered otherwise. Not only that, but my mum told me to get out of the house and have some fresh air."

"Nice," Ivan said, before looking at Mei. "Shall we go in?"

"I'm so nervous," she worried. "Kiku will be there."

"Probably," Ivan frowned. _So will Yao_.

"This is my best opportunity to talk to him," she breathed in. "If I don't do it tonight, I'll _never_ do it, and your efforts would be wasted."

He couldn't agree more, but said nothing.

"OK, we're going in," she said, suddenly determined once more. "Let's go, Ivan."

He nodded, and walked towards the venue with Mei, and Heracles joined his other side.

* * *

 **A/N:** _A tense moment in Gakutalia! I hope everyone had a great Halloween, and I look forward to posting the next chapter next week! Until then, vote away on what you think I should do with the other story! See you next week!_


	38. Chapter 37

**A/N:** _Hello everyone! Sorry, this is a bit of a late post. I've been a bit poorly this week; I think it may be a chest infection similar to one I had last year, so I'll be seeing the doctor about it on Thursday._

 _On the feedback about the fic I have planned, looks like I'll be posting it all in one go. It'll be a long time until it appears, but I like to plan these things ahead._

 _Anyway, without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 37**

* * *

 **Y.W.**

He was in deep conversation with Kiku when the other peered past, having seen something.

"The others are here," he commented, and Yao followed his gaze to see both Feliciano and Ludwig. "I should greet them, but I'll be back."

"It's OK," Yao had spotted Francis, Arthur and Alfred. "I've seen a few others, too. I'll see you around, aru?"

"Yes, we'll talk some more," Kiku nodded, and the two of them parted ways.

Yao wormed his way past his fellow classmates until he reached those he had come to know as his friends over his years spent at World Academy. The three of them were in deep conversation, and to the side he saw both Elizabeta and Natalya chatting. He instantly knew that Alfred had taken the risk of bringing Ivan's little sister as his date. How he had managed it so far and was still alive, Yao had no idea.

"Hey, aru," he announced his presence, squirming his way in between Francis and Alfred. "I see that Natalya has come along."

Alfred instantly became a little nervous. "Yeah, dude… I…"

"Won't Ivan be pissed?" Yao arched an eyebrow and sipped his champagne. "I mean, you did realise he was coming to this, didn't you?"

"My brother may be angry, but he doesn't control my life," Natalya dipped into the conversation. "But you don't worry about _him_ , Yao… just enjoy _your_ night."

There was a somewhat dark undertone there. He wasn't entirely sure whether by "him" she meant Alfred or Ivan. Either way, he decided that he should probably stay out of this one.

In the meantime… "So, when did you two become a thing, aru?"

That was directed at Arthur and Elizabeta. He felt he was so grossly excluded from the group's gossip sometimes… Yao wondered if he was doing something wrong, or if they just never felt the need to notify him on the crucial details?

"Oh, well, it's very complicated," Arthur said, glancing at Elizabeta. "But we're really here as friends."

"Because I thought you two were dating, aru?" he pressed, eager for some news.

"Oh, _oui_ …" Francis laughed anxiously. "But it's _very_ complicated."

"We're here as friends," Elizabeta assured him.

"If you say so, aru," Yao shrugged, although he'd been sure that Elizabeta would attend the dance with Roderich.

 **L.B**

He was still milling around Fel and the others when Kiku approached.

"Oh, Kiku," he said. "Are you liking the event so far?"

"Absolutely," Kiku gazed around. "The atmosphere is much nicer than I could have hoped for. You've done a good job."

"Thank you," Ludwig gazed around the room.

He could see the confusion in Kiku's eyes to see _Emma_ there with Fel rather than Michelle, but it was something their Italian friend would have to explain to them afterwards. Ludwig wanted to hear all the details, but not in front of Emma. He shot Kiku a knowing look, and there was a silent agreement between them to not speak of it.

He watched as Roderich slowly approached, alone and without Elizabeta. Ludwig was not a major social networking pro, but even he had all the sites and had seen all the recent photos between the Hungarian girl and Arthur Kirkland. Admittedly, it was a strange combination, what with Elizabeta having so much fire in her personality and Arthur acting like a wet weekend most of the time. He hadn't expected them to hook up.

Instead, he had expected Roderich to be the one leading her in, a gallant smile on his face. It seemed that this would not be so.

"Hello," he offered a weak smile. Ludwig wondered if he had anyone to hang out with.

"Good evening," Ludwig said. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

He watched as Roderich's gaze drifted to the other side of the hall, where Elizabeta now seemed to be telling a grand story to Arthur and his friends. She had always been far more charismatic of the two.

Ludwig had known Roderich since they were extremely young. They had been neighbours during their childhood, until his mother and father moved to a much more… upmarket street. That wasn't saying Ludwig lived in poverty, but his lifestyle was far more humble in comparison to Roderich's. He understood the boy came from a family of extreme wealth, just as Francis Bonnefoy did. Their families had never fallen out of contact despite the move, though. In fact, Roderich's father was very good friends with his mother. It was _her_ death that the families became contacting each other less frequently. Ludwig still saw Roderich at school, and they spoke every now and then. He pitied him, because Roderich had never been a sociable creature. His friendship with Elizabeta had been one of the best things that had happened to him. He hadn't necessarily opened up, but she balanced out his rudeness.

For a while, Ludwig had convinced himself into believing they were dating, but it seemed that really wasn't the case. Needless to say, it seemed Roderich had left some things between them unsaid…

"Yes, it's a good night," Roderich finally looked back at Ludwig. "Well organised. I like the music."

Since the music was quiet enough to be barely audible at this stage, Ludwig instantly knew that Roderich was just trying to fill a gap.

"Just have a good night," he said cryptically, hoping Roderich would understand him.

A ghost of a smile appeared on the Austrian's lips, and Ludwig instantly knew that the message had been passed on.

 **A.J.**

He snorted with laughter and covered his face. He had never known Elizabeta was such a cracker. She certainly improved Arthur's mood. With Natalya by his side, Alfred felt a little more confident, too. He wasn't entirely sure what the set-up between Arthur and Elizabeta was, but he hadn't expected his friend to bring her to the Charity Ball. Perhaps the plan with Elizabeta and Roderich hadn't worked out? Or maybe… something else had happened along the way? The three of them were pretty eager to say it was nothing, but he'd have to ask at some point anyway.

"Ah, we forgot to toast," Francis suddenly paused with a frown. "What should we toast?"

"There's nothing to be especially commemorative about," Arthur raised an eyebrow. "We haven't made any particular achievements and there's no event nearby."

"How about cheers to making it this far?" Natalya raised her glass.

"I can handle that," Arthur tapped his to hers, and everyone else did the same.

This was the type of atmosphere that Alfred wanted. Casual and talking. It felt like something was missing, deep down, but maybe he was just anxious about the upcoming mock exams?

Three rough taps on his shoulder brought his attention round to see a radiant smile, but death in the violet eyes of Ivan Braginsky. He hadn't even heard him coming- no shout, no angry footsteps. Nothing had prepared him for this encounter, even though he knew it had been on its way. He had desperately hoped to avoid it.

"What's the matter, _Alfred_?" Ivan grimaced. "You look awfully pale. It's almost as if you didn't want to see me here at all."

"Ivan, whatever you're planning, don't do it," Natalya grumbled.

"You," he pointed at her. "Stay back. And you."

That was to Alfred.

"What did I tell you?" his tone was sweet and friendly, but Alfred knew the truth.

"In fact, I tell you, I even demonstrate the outcome," Ivan shrugged. "Yet you still do _exactly_ what I told you not to, da?"

"Ivan…" he grimaced, and the mood suddenly became tense.

The smile dropped instantly from the Russian boy's face. "What do I have to do, Alfred, to keep you away from my sister?"

The tone in his voice. Alfred had never known Ivan could be _this_ threatening.

"Do I have to follow her around?" he took a step towards Alfred. "Do I have to keep tabs on _you_? How far do you want me to go to keep you away from my little sister?"

"Ivan, hang on a minute," Arthur stepped in.

Ivan shoved him back with a shake of his head, before looking back at Alfred.

"You're silent," he shrugged. " _Answer_ me."

Alfred needed to think very carefully about what he said next.

"Don't do this, Ivan," Natalya shook her head, disappointed.

"Why don't you just let your sister make her decision?" Alfred asked.

Ivan stared at him for a moment, an almost vacant expression on his face. The past few months had changed him so much. This was over a birthday.

Why hadn't Alfred just apologised?

He didn't even see Ivan move, but suddenly there was a sharp pain on his cheek. His glass slipped from his fingers, and there was Arthur and Francis and Yao and Natalya all moving to hold Ivan back. There were broken shards on the floor, and his jaw was completely numb. He suddenly felt cold, like he needed to defend himself.

Broken glass. Broken bones. _What?_ A man died. _What?_

"What the fuck, Ivan?" Arthur scowled.

"Do I have to _kill_ you, Alfred?" Ivan yelled. "Is that how I have to keep you away from Natalya?"

"Ivan…" Natalya looked both sad and angry as she clutched at her brother's arm.

A dead man? Moonlight in the window.

"Do I have to do that?" Ivan stared at him hollowly, the savage look in his eyes just like- "Do I have to end your-"

"You don't know," Alfred blurted out, staring him straight in the eyes.

A cold sweat broke out across his body.

"You don't know what it's like," he screamed out, and suddenly all eyes were on their group.

Dead man. Shattered glass. They both fell. Shattered man.

"Alfred?" Matthew's voice was calm as his brother moved in front of him, holding onto his shoulders and blocking his view. "Alfred, it's OK. You're OK."

Dead man. Shattered glass.

"You're not there anymore, eh?"

 **I.B.**

He stopped straining against the four people who held him back. His only focus was on Alfred, who Matthew stood before, as if shielding him from the danger. Shielding him from him.

He heaved a sigh and shook the many arms holding him down. There was some kind of pain throbbing in his throat that he couldn't ignore, but he couldn't explain it, either. He couldn't look at Alfred, because he suddenly looked like a ghost. Eyes were on him. They were looks of uncertainty, of pity, of confusion.

"Ivan… what the Hell?" he turned his head and saw Mei staring at him, eyes wide.

"Mei…" he had completely forgotten about her. The moment he'd spotted Natalya there with Alfred, he had stormed off, losing her in the crowd and never once thinking to look back.

"Mei?" Yao looked just as confused, standing beside Ivan. "What are you doing here?"

It was an empty question. Realisation was dawning on Yao's face as he asked it. Everything was falling apart. He couldn't stop things unravelling.

"How could you, aru?" Yao narrowed his eyes. "You said…"

"What's the meaning of this?" Ludwig stormed over.

"Did you not _tell_ him?" Mei was beginning to see the meanings, too. "But you said, Ivan…"

"What is going on?" Ludwig repeated, anger in his voice.

"Ivan was just leaving."

He turned and looked at Matthew. Kind, docile Matthew, who was now giving him a piercing look. There was no other way to describe it. His stare was accusing, one filled with anger and hatred. Alfred looked a lost soul in comparison, staring at the shattered glass on the floor, and Natalya had drifted to his other side at some point.

"Oh?" Ludwig cast looks amongst their group.

"Yeah," his voice sounded leagues away. "I was."

They all hated him. All of them. He could see it in their eyes. He always had this… feeling of being left out. It reminded him of the days when he first came to World Academy, how carefully Eduard and Toris stepped around him.

They all hated him.

They all feared him.

* * *

 **A/N:** _The confrontation we were all dreading has finally arrived. I really hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I will probably be posting the next chapter on Thursday, as time has flown by and it's Comic Con next weekend! I'm going to be very busy (and tired). In the meantime, feel free to review this chapter, as I love hearing what people say about what I've written. Until next time!_


	39. Chapter 38

**A/N:** _Hi, everyone! Sorry for such a late post! It was a tough week for me last week, and this one doesn't seem to be much easier so far. Thank you for your patience with waiting for each chapter._

 _Based on the feedback for my later story, I'll be posting it all in one piece._

 _Without further ado, Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 38**

 **F.B.**

"So, the night's being cancelled?" Francis glanced anxiously at Ludwig, who was watching Alfred sitting with Arthur, Matthew and Natalya.

"No, I don't think that's fair on the entire year," Ludwig said. "Besides, there's been a lot of planning put into this."

Francis nodded and looked back towards his friend. He had to assume that this was somehow linked to that dreaded November, just before the Talent Show… Nothing had been fully explained to him about what had happened- Arthur and Alfred had been very quiet about their experiences- but it seemed Ivan had cut deep.

Ivan… Francis really had to wonder what was going on with that one. Something about him had definitely altered these past months. It was true; as a group, they had become largely separated. Ivan was now spending more time with Eduard and Toris, whilst the four of them remained together. Even then, Francis saw him hanging out on his own a lot of the time, be it in the library, or taking trips down to the town nearby school.

He wanted to express his concerns, but he understood that, at the moment, a lot of people weren't particularly fond of Ivan. There was Yao, who was mad about… something? Francis would need to look into that. Arthur naturally stood up for Alfred, who had been off with Ivan since January. Two months ago, they were so happy.

What had happened?

"Is he going to be OK?" Ludwig asked, as Matthew approached at last.

"Yeah, I'm taking him home," Matthew shrugged. "It's best that he gets some rest."

Francis knew Alfred had been on therapy since November. What had happened?

"I see," Ludwig looked troubled. "Well, at least he has half term to recover."

"Agreed…" Matthew glanced over his shoulder towards Alfred, who was surrounded by Arthur and Natalya. "Anyway… thank you so much for organising this. He _was_ enjoying it, until…"

"Don't think too much on it," Francis advised.

"On what?" Matthew replied coolly. "Ivan's a mess. I'm glad Alfred got away from him, eh?"

Unsure of what else to say, Francis dipped his head in acknowledgement. Matthew turned on his heel and approached his brother, where the two continued to talk.

"What do you think?" Ludwig glanced at Francis.

"Hmm?" he raised an eyebrow.

Usually, he didn't speak with Ludwig. They were two very different people.

"Should we report his behaviour to the school?" Ludwig asked.

"Alfred?" Francis blinked.

"Ivan," Ludwig said.

Francis paused in thought, before shaking his head. He didn't want people rooting around Ivan's personal business just at this moment. Instead, he wanted Ivan to have his friends get to the problem's source first. Francis knew it couldn't just be an old grudge from December. Surely not.

"No," he replied. "I'll think of something."

"I really think we should report him," Ludwig said uncertainly. "But I suppose you know him more than me. Has he acted like this before?"

 _No_. "Kind of."

"Oh, right…" Ludwig's ice blue gaze was piercing. "So, you know a solution?"

Francis stared him head on and nodded. He couldn't find the words to lie. He had no idea what to do. Francis usually had a plan, but right now, he was out of ideas and his self-confidence from his previous failed plan still weighed heavy on his mind. What was he supposed to do? He wanted answers, but they were nowhere to be found.

 **K.H.**

"I can't believe that happened," Emma looked a little shaken from the confrontation.

"I know right," Fel's expression was anxious. "Those guys are always fighting, I swear to God."

Kiku didn't know what to say. Alfred had been acting strange for quite some time. Last week when he'd turned down the tutoring sessions… Kiku could only wonder if that was somehow linked to troubles amongst his friends. Alfred and Ivan had been stuck together like glue during Lovino's party, but now it seemed they were like oil and water.

Fel tapped his shoulder. "You alright, Kiku? Alfred's your friend, right? You wanna go talk to him?"

Kiku hadn't spoken to Alfred since last week. He wasn't entirely sure where he stood with the other student right now, and he wasn't sure if he was quite prepared to rekindle their friendship. Alfred had basically called him "lame". That had actually stung, because Kiku had convinced himself that Alfred wasn't as bad as Ludwig had believed he was. He had told himself that he had found a friend in Alfred, but it seemed he had become deluded on the way there. He didn't know what he wanted to do. Perhaps it was best that he avoid Alfred for now? After all, he wasn't that close a friend that he would comfort him in a time like this.

The three of them watched Matthew guide Alfred towards the door just as Mr Jones arrived. His expression was extremely harassed, and he seemed to leave in a black mood, protectively leading Alfred out of the building.

"You know, that group has always been a bit of trouble," Fel blew out a breath.

Kiku couldn't agree more. All five of them were toxic in their own way. He was perhaps lucky to have escaped when he did.

"I guess the night goes on?" Emma commented, watching everyone drift back into their little cliques to keep talking about what had happened.

"I guess so," Fel agreed. "We might as well enjoy ourselves now that the night's begun."

Kiku nodded, still watching the door swing shut behind the Jones family.

 **Y.W.**

Once Alfred was gone, he chose to linger with Arthur, Francis and Elizabeta. There was a brief silence between them.

"Thoughts?" he decided to break the silence.

"Well, it all bloody happened," Arthur heaved out a sigh. "I must admit, I wasn't expecting Ivan's reaction to be quite so…"

"Let's not dwell on it," Francis said hastily. "I'm sure there's something that everyone needs to work out."

"Well, I really hope Alfred's OK…" Elizabeta worried.

"I should hope so," Arthur scowled. "I hope his father contacts Ivan's. I would be ashamed if my son went around picking fights like that."

Yao remembered having been to Ivan's house once. It was gothic and looked somewhat evil there. That was when he had attended the Saturday cooking classes with them. Actually… when had Ivan stopped coming? One week it had formed into a "I can't make it", and then he had never returned. When had Ivan stopped hanging out with them?

Somehow, he met Francis' gaze. Was Francis thinking the same thing?

"What happened to the poor girl he came with?" Elizabeta frowned.

"Mei…" Natalya wandered over. "She's around, I think."

"You didn't go with them?" Yao looked at her.

"I felt my presence wouldn't be wanted… what with me being Ivan's sister and all…" she said awkwardly.

She had a point.

"I know Mei," Yao said. "I'll go check if she's OK."

Everyone accepted that, and he went off in search of the girl he perhaps liked a little more than he wanted to admit. He couldn't believe Ivan had brought her here with him… Especially as he'd just told Yao to wait… It was confusing.

She wasn't hard to find. She had located a table and was sitting on her phone, eyes glued to the screen.

"Hey," he swallowed, and she turned in her seat. "You OK?"

She nodded as he slid down into one of the seats beside her. "A little frazzled, but… yeah. OK."

"Um, do you… want a lift home?" he offered, assuming Ivan had been the one to take her here.

"Oh, don't worry about it," she smiled kindly. "My friend, Lien, came here with someone in your year, so I'm going back with them."

"Ah, OK," he nodded, and downcast his eyes to the table.

"Look, Yao… I don't want you to get the wrong idea about Ivan- we only came as friends," she said awkwardly.

"Oh," he blinked, keeping his eyes on the table.

"You see… there's a guy I really like, and I didn't have the courage to approach him," she admitted.

Yao looked up at her.

"I didn't realise Ivan had told you that I liked you," she continued.

He was about to reply.

"But when he told me, I instantly said he shouldn't let you get the wrong idea," she added, and his heart deflated. "I've realised now that I probably should've just told you myself, but things were becoming messier by the minute."

"Oh?" he blinked.

"You're a really nice guy," she reached out and touched his arm. "Really nice. And I seriously appreciate that you'd offer me a lift after all that's happened. But I'm not the girl for you, if you know what I mean?"

He had no idea. He just realised how inexperienced he was with girls. He felt a little hurt that she was telling him this, because the more time he'd spent with Mei and Ivan, the more he'd fallen for her. It had been a grisly tale that had slowly come to an end when Ivan had stopped having lunch with either Mei or him.

She was pretty, and even if she wasn't the nicest of people, Yao liked that about her.

"So, Ivan told you how I felt?" he laughed nervously.

"Not directly," she said. "But he got a little mixed up about who I meant."

"Oh, right," he looked away.

"I should've just joined the manga club in the first place…" she sighed, and looked across the room towards Kiku.

 _Kiku_? Mei liked _Kiku_? Yao sat there, as jealousy suddenly flared up. He stared at Kiku, just as the other student looked over and smiled at them both. That student had no idea just what kind of opportunity he'd taken from Yao. He couldn't believe he'd toyed with the idea of becoming friends with him once more. If they liked the same girl… that meant they were rivals, right? As childish as it was, Yao just forced a smile.

"Mei, we gotta go," Lien had appeared, looking preturbed, with Kasam by her shoulder.

"Oh, right, yes," Mei smiled. "I'll see you around, Yao."

"Yeah," he nodded, finally understanding what it was like to be semi-friendzoned.

 **A.J.**

He was crammed into the back of the car with Matthew, who kept a supportive watch on him. Alfred kept staring outside the window. It was raining heavily. He was trying to keep a stable mind, but bad weather just reminded him of how cold it had been, with snow on the ground and a bright moon outside. He had to draw his eyes away from the window, to keep his mind away from that night.

"You alright, Alfie?" his dad asked.

He nodded numbly, before turning to his phone. He felt compelled to look through his photos, just to keep his mind on the good days, rather than this bad one. Looking at photos would keep in distracted. He kept flicking backwards, until his thumb wouldn't let him move beyond a moment in December.

The holidays had just begun. There they were, the two of them standing nearby the drinks table. He had a beer in hand, and big smile on his face. And Ivan… He remembered taking this photo, because he'd caught his Russian friend by surprise. The look of innocence on Ivan's face, the pure unexpectedness of the situation. He suddenly felt devastatingly sad that he had lost his best friend because of stupidity.

"Alfred?" Matthew looked concerned. "Are you _sure_ you're OK?"

"Yes," he grimaced, turning the phone off and staring worriedly out the window. " _I_ am."

 **I.B.**

He pelted through the elements, the car moving at full speeds. The dreary February rain was making its appearance at last, and the weather wouldn't improve until the end of April, he predicted. The wipers constantly battled the rain away from the windscreen. He stared straight ahead, focused on one goal only.

His house looked like an abandoned gothic manor, but his father's car was still in the driveway. He drove through the gates and left the car right before the front door.

Leaping out, his feet splashed on wet stone. He was instantly drenched, the suit sopping wet in seconds. Ivan didn't even lock the car as he turned on his heel and stormed up to the door. He reached for it, just as his father opened it.

He was all dressed to go out.

"Ivan?" he sounded surprised.

"You lied to me," he stormed forwards, into the house, and his father stepped back. "You told me it would work. Now _Natalya_ hates me, too."

A cigarette hung from his father's lips. The man took it out and blew smoke outside. Ivan stared at him, awaiting a response.

"Come with me," his father stepped outside, and started walking through the rain, not caring about the way the water dribbled down his clothes.

"Where are we going?" Ivan demanded, stepping outside and slamming the door shut behind him.

"You're old enough, now," his father unlocked his own car and opened the door. "It's about time I introduced you to my friends."

"Dad?" Ivan blinked, hovering by the passenger seat.

"Get in," his father motioned. "And don't tell anyone."

"Anyone?" Ivan sat in the passenger seat.

His father threw his cigarette into the rain, where it fizzled out almost immediately. " _Anyone_. Including your sisters."

* * *

 **A/N:** _Thank you for waiting for this chapter! It's a crucial one. I hope to post back on the regular time this week. Until next time!_


	40. Chapter 39

**A/N:** _Hello, everyone! It's been a long week for me, I'm afraid. I've been going through a lot, but I'm slowly getting it sorted, and the welfare system at my university is really helpful._

 _I don't think I spoke much about Comic Con, so I'll take the time to do so now! It was such a busy weekend, and so much bigger compared to the Con held in March! It was so fun testing out new methods of makeup, and I have so many ideas for cosplays for the next time, and hope to do some sewing to make my own costumes next time!_

 _As a big note of thanks, I've reached **5,500** views for this fic! That's an amazing number, and it's so incredible that's it keeps on rising! Thanks so much for supporting this story!_

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 39**

 **A.J.**

He was never good at the stealth missions when they were thrown straight at his face. He felt it was pointless to be stealthy when you held a gun between your hands. He felt it was even more pointless to pay attention to the piles of books and information that sat discarded in his room, but that was a story for a different day. At the moment, Franklin was in a flashy sports car- blue in colour- with police cars and helicopters after him at every waking moment. He wasn't about to be getting a break from this any time soon. If he'd had a different, much shittier car, he'd have been caught a long time ago; it was only his speed that preserved him. Luckily, he'd found this catch moments before the mission, and had refused to part from it. He had known, upon looking at it, that the police would never be able to catch him in such a car.

"Hey, Al," Matthew appeared in the doorway, a strange expression on his face.

"Sup?" he didn't even glance over, because he was extremely busy escaping the police.

"We've only got a week to do this, you know…" his brother looked uncertain. "And it's not like your grades have been stellar…"

"Your point?" he was busy.

Matthew sighed. "I'm just saying… maybe you should revise?"

"It's cool," his fingers danced over the controls. "I've got loads of time."

"If you say so," his brother said, and disappeared from view.

 **F.V.**

He flopped down on his bed with a sigh and crossed an arm over his face. So far, every day of the week had been spent with either Michelle or Emma. It was OK for them; they took breaks and both of them were smart enough to pass their mock exams. Fel, on the other hand, had the burden of knowing that failure was likely to hit him like a bus. He couldn't escape failure's cruel clutches. Of course, he was having fun, enjoying his time with his… girlfriends. That thought only sickened him, because this week had given him plenty of time to avoid Ludwig and Kiku. He hadn't had to explain himself, and he felt neither of them would want to hear it until the Mocks were over. Still… because the knowledge was lodged in his brain, Fel had the horror of feeling sick over it.

Lovino didn't understand. Fel didn't expect him to, because he didn't know the truth, either. All he was aware that Fel was dating _someone_. He didn't know who and he didn't know there were two people. Fel wasn't about to tell him. As much of a dick Lovino could be, the only time he was nice was when he was with women. Lovino would be so disappointed to find Fel was messing around with two girls at once. Fel didn't want to face his disappointment.

He sat up and chose to spend the rest of his day painting. He was likely going to fail whether he revised or not…

 **F.B.**

Francis yawned. If there was one thing he hated doing, then it was pointlessly going over information he had already learned. Francis wasn't exactly academic, and preferred to enjoy life, but the Mocks meant he had to focus on heavy revision. If he put his mind to it, he could do it, but it was boring and he didn't _like_ doing it. He was a sociable creature, but all his friends were also busy with revision. He had spoken to Antonio Carriedo a few times since Lovino's party in December, but the Spanish boy was all the way at university and wouldn't be back until the end of March. Thus, hanging out with him wasn't an option.

Arthur was usually a sensible option, and whilst Francis would've been keen to revise alongside his friend, he knew him enough to know that Arthur preferred to work alone. Francis couldn't think of anyone else who would want to revise with others. His friends were either so hardworking they didn't want company, or so lax that they would only cause a distraction. Ah… there was Ivan, but…

Francis thought back to the night of the Charity Ball and had a feeling Ivan wasn't in the mood to see people in his current mind set. _Something_ had happened. Francis wasn't stupid, and he disliked pretending he was oblivious. He had been there when people had tried to kill Arthur, and Ivan had been there, too. Alfred was close with both of them, so he must've gotten involved with something the night he ended up in hospital.

Just… what happened?

 **Y.W.**

He sat in his room, surrounded by mountains of books. He had ploughed through so much, so far, making more notes and flash cards. Information swirled through his brain and he was fairly sure he could recite all of his courses to his teachers if they so asked. Yao was a genius. He had always been extremely smart, and he was eager to learn new things and develop from them. He learnt from his mistakes and, as a result, he had become an understanding person.

Yet he still couldn't understand what the fuck had happened the night of the Charity Ball.

Mei fancied Kiku, which meant they couldn't be friends. He couldn't help but feel bitter resentment whenever he imagined the Japanese boy. But Ivan had taken Mei to the Charity Ball after convincing Yao not to do so? What had _that_ been about? Then Ivan and Alfred fought until Alfred had a breakdown. It had been nuts.

And now this feeling in his chest as he was doing his work.

Before, when he'd had duty and responsibility, Yao had seized all opportunities to perform his best. He had enjoyed having tasks to do, and being busy had been a satisfaction to him. But now… now he looked at the writing and the work and it was… a burden.

Something about _him_ had changed, too, but he couldn't find the strength or the understanding to place it. Yao was confused.

There was only one thing he could deduct. He had lost his passion for business.

 **K.H.**

He was calmly going through the Maths revision. Kiku was trying to focus desperately on the subjects at hand, but his mind kept drifting off into different areas. He hadn't been speaking to Alfred since the impressive insult the American student had slung at his face in front of everyone. He hadn't understood why Alfred had behaved in such a way- he had to assume it was to maintain his reputation- and he still didn't fully understand what was going on with him.

Kiku had heard rumours… Everyone hears rumours, but this one in particular had interested Kiku, because he had been angry at Alfred at the time. He had overheard Feliks talking about something he had overheard Matthew telling Carlos. Now, Feliks wasn't the most reliable of sources- even Kiku knew that- but when Matthew was mentioned, he couldn't help but wonder if what had been said was… true. Especially after what he'd seen at the Charity Ball.

He had heard Alfred was having therapy sessions. For what, he had no clue, and Feliks had had no idea, either. Therapy, though. Had something happened? Kiku could wondered if his lacking grades could be connected to that, or if his unbalanced emotions had caused him to lash out at Kiku.

Alfred still hadn't apologised, though. As guilty as Kiku felt about withdrawing his help concerning the Maths tutoring, he still couldn't find it within himself to help Alfred. He had believed they were friends and had been genuinely hurt when Alfred had embarrassed him so publicly. No, he couldn't suddenly provide him with aid…

…but he could still feel guilty.

 **A.K.**

Arthur was endorsed in quiet revision. Both parents had gone out a few moments ago, so it was just he and Peter at home. The TV was playing downstairs, since Peter had no Mocks after half term and could enjoy his brief holiday. Arthur sometimes wished he was young again. Life was so much easier.

Except… it wasn't for Peter.

Arthur nearly ripped his hair out from guilt and horror. His own drama at the Charity Ball and the need to revise had completely occupied his mind from the problems Peter was facing. His younger brother was being bullied, and he was aware of it. It wasn't even the minor picking on type of bullying, but instead major, where Peter was being pressured into smuggling alcohol and food from the house. Arthur hated to think if Peter had been subjected to physical abuse, but the boy showed no signs of having had to face that.

Suddenly distracted, he noticed the TV turn off. He rose and headed downstairs to find his brother on his phone, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"You alright, Peter?" he asked, careful not to let on that he was aware. He didn't want Peter to become defensive or reject any help he could offer later on. He wanted Peter to tell him of his own accord. Was that selfish? Was it so wrong that Arthur wanted his brother to turn to him first, before he felt the need to intervene?

For a moment, Peter looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Soon, though, he shook himself from his reverie and held his phone out towards Arthur.

"Mum texted," he explained. "She just remembered we had no milk and wanted me to rush to the store and grab some."

Arthur had never realised how independent his little brother was.

"I'll come with," he smiled. "I need a break from revision."

If Peter was suspicious, he didn't show it. Instead, he returned the smile. If Arthur hadn't known about his little brother's situation, he would've viewed the smile as purely pleasant and innocent. As it happened, he knew, so he could see the relief etched onto his brother's face.

 **L.B.**

He was endorsed in the art of revision. It was a time consuming process that had prevented him from going outside, or giving Fel a very agitated call.

Why had his friend brought _Emma_ to the Charity Ball? Last time Ludwig had checked, Fel had been dating Michelle, yet there he was, turning up with Emma on his arm. Ludwig also knew it wasn't just a friend thing. The way Emma had looked up at him with adoration on her face was enough to convince Ludwig that they were more than friends. And that expression Fel had given him.

"Don't say anything."

That was what it had meant. With that look, Ludwig had to assume Fel hadn't broken up with Michelle. That could only mean… Fel was dating both Emma _and_ Michelle. Fel was cheating. Ludwig often supported his friends' decisions, but he knew this was stupid and insensitive. Fel was only thinking about himself, which thoroughly disappointed Ludwig. He had expected better of Fel, who was often so kind and caring about others.

"Yo, bro, is there any beer left?"

He blinked, forcing himself back into the present, and turned in his seat to see Gilbert hovering in the doorway with a frown on his face.

"Um… there should be," Ludwig frowned.

"I can't find it," Gilbert replied.

Ludwig sighed and rose from his seat, hoping he wouldn't miraculously find what his brother was looking for. He walked past him and opened the fridge. Instead of on the top shelf where the beer usually was, it was on the second one. He took a bottle and handed it to Gilbert, who wore a sheepish grin.

His brother could really be hopeless at times.

 **I.B.**

He stared at the wall in front of him. He couldn't convince himself to do anything. His brain couldn't think. He just felt confused with all the things that sailed through his head. He didn't know what was right or wrong now. He didn't know-

"Hey!" Natalya snapped her fingers in his face, snapping him out of it. "We're going out. Get ready."

He stared up at her. She hated him. He could see it in her eyes; the derision, the disgust. She hated him.

"You know what: never mind," she shook her head. "I'll let Dad know you're staying put. You need to get a fucking grip."

He watched her leave.

She hated him.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Thanks for waiting another week. I remember the days in Year 13 of revising for my final exams... It meant the world to me! I read my personal statement this morning, and it was incredibly cringe. At the time, I was so proud of it, and I suppose it managed to get me into university. Some advice, though: work hard for the mocks. They really put you in a good standing for the real exams, and you can get a lot of feedback on technique or what you need to work on. I barely tried for my Year 12 mocks, and it really showed, especially when compared to Year 13, where I worked my harder. It can be really stressful, but once you've made the major push, it's really worth it._

 _Until next time!_


	41. Chapter 40

**A/N:** _Hey, everyone! Look who's back from the dead! I really want to apologise for the sudden and long hiatus that hit. I do have a genuine reason. As I mentioned earlier, in another chapter, I've been experiencing some issues related to mental health and anxiety. About 4 weeks ago (so 2 weeks before the most recent update), I decided to take action, and have finally paid a visit to my doctor concerning the problems. My university have also been extremely helpful- the welfare system they provide is stellar, and I couldn't ask for more._

 _It turns out that my anxiety was really bad, and was making me prone to bouts of minor depression. I'm usually more hesitant to post my personal medical life online, but I'm saying it here because my suffering has finally ended, and there's a chance that someone might come across this and find it helpful. For 2 weeks, symptoms of anxiety increased, which is a natural occurrence when you begin such kinds of medication. I was still posting at this point, but after the 2 weeks, I was hit with this terrible flu, and I was bedridden for an entire weekend. It was just an awful experience and, at the time, I'd had an essay that was due in at the Wednesday. Because of all the anxiety, I'd been putting it off for a whole 3 weeks and, to be honest, that really got me down. I had shut down completely, so appealed to get a week's extension on my essay, just to give me time to produce_ something _._

 _So that's why I disappeared off the radar for quite some time- physical and mental illness. I feel fine at this point, and I handed my essay in this morning, otherwise I wouldn't have come back to posting anything. In fact, as I'm writing this, I'm just crawling out of the worst of some kind of 24 hour stomach bug. It's been quite a hectic month, but I'm now looking forwards to 3 weeks of holiday. I do have an essay due in on the 17th January, but I'm going to start it next week, just so I don't have to go through this again._

 _It's been a long year for me, and I must confess, I'm really forwards to 2018. Once more, I'm sorry about the delay, and I'm also sorry if I haven't responded to any of the most recent reviews. All I can say is that I'm entirely grateful for the support everyone has given me, both for my story, but also related to my life beyond the laptop. My message is that it's perfectly OK to ask for help; parents, teachers, counsellors, and doctors. People aren't as heartless as the world will make it out to seem, and if they're not understanding, it's usually because they don't understand the situation. It took my mum some time to adjust, but I'm here now, and everything is good for everyone. I'm much happier now, and I'm feeling incredibly positive for the future._

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia._

* * *

 **Chapter 40**

 **L.B.**

Their entire class waited outside of the Great Hall. He was second in the register. Inside, he could see all the desks spread out in a grid pattern. Soon, he would be sitting in one of those chairs. These weren't the real exams, yet he still felt nervous. Ludwig didn't want to fail, particularly as he'd spent so many hours every day revising. He was sitting in the hallway now, surrounded by his books. Neither Kiku nor Fel were with him, because they were in register order.

"Are you ready for the exam?" Lukas asked, and Ludwig was just glad he had a friend of some kind nearby.

Even though he was likely the quietest of the event organising friends Ludwig had made, he was still someone to talk to.

"I've revised for it," Ludwig said. "But I'm not about to get complacent."

"That's possibly one of the most sensible things to do," Lukas mused. "I, personally, could've done more revision, but since these are the Mocks, I didn't have as much motivation…"

"You're probably not the only one," Ludwig informed him helpfully, because he doubted people like Fel had put much effort into revision.

"No, probably not," Lukas frowned. "I just hope nothing too difficult comes up. Or better yet, I hope they use last year's paper, because I did that one as practice on Saturday."

Ludwig had also reviewed that paper. "That would be really lucky… However, I don't think Miss Ronan would make that mistake."

Lukas sighed. "Oh yeah, you're right… Guess I'll just have to wing this."

 **Y.W.**

He was sitting, trying to cram some last minute revision in before the Maths Mock. It was a mock exam, so he shouldn't have been worried about it, but the blubbering fool sitting in between Tino Vainamoinen and Eduard von Bock was rubbing his anxiety off on Yao.

Feliciano Vargas was usually someone Yao preferred not to associate with. He was friends with Kiku, which was good enough reason as it was, but he was also a cry baby. It really irritated Yao. He was even crying now, bemoaning his fate as a mathematical failure. Quite frankly, Yao didn't care, so he didn't know why both Tino and Eduard were trying so hard to comfort him.

The story was this: Feliciano had spent his entire half term derping around instead of revising. The fact was this: he wasn't prepared because he hadn't tried. In other words, Yao believed he deserved this fate.

Yao turned his head and glowered at Feliciano. "Hey."

The Italian boy paused in his sniffles and glanced at Yao, as did Tino and Eduard. Both of them looked worried when they saw Yao's hostile expression.

"I get you're upset, aru," Yao said. "But seriously. If you didn't revise, surely you saw this coming?"

Feliciano breathed in deep as Tino opened his mouth to tell Yao to back off, or something. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Yao squinted. Did he _really_ just agree with him? Some people weren't worth the time of day.

"You're right, Yao," Feliciano wiped his eyes and smiled at him. "It's not the end of the world, and I do deserve this. Strangely, that helped."

Yao stared. Some people.

 **K.H.**

Kiku had a policy not to pore over the books just before the exam. That was because, once you were outside, you weren't going to magically know more things if you didn't already. It was genuinely too late. Besides, if he happened to stumble across something he was unsure about, he could become worried by what he didn't know. It was better to be ignorant and face the problem later rather than panic beforehand. Once inside the hall, Kiku would dissolve into an exam mind set, and become coolly focused on the task at hand. Panic rarely touched him once he was inside.

"Wow, Kiku, you're really confident about this, aren't you?" Elizabeta, who sat beside him, glanced at him with awe.

"Oh, I just don't want to worry myself before the exam," Kiku assured her.

"I wish I could be like that," she laughed. "I wish I could just do nothing before the exam and know I'll still be OK."

"You should've revised more, then," Roderich, who sat beside her, pointed out, diving into their conversation.

"I get bored," she pouted. "Besides, you're one to talk. You weren't doing revision all day every day."

"Of course not," Roderich held his chin up. "I was inspired to write music."

Elizabeta rolled her eyes and cast Kiku a look. He wondered if they were dating. They were like a married couple.

"Kiku has this on lock."

He swallowed and turned his head to see the grimace Alfred was giving him in his failed attempt to pull off a semi-friendly forced smile. His heart panged with guilt, before he smiled politely and looked straight ahead.

 **I.B.**

He watched Francis delicately pore over the details from his exercise book and textbook. Ivan couldn't be bothered to revise, because he already knew he was doomed, and didn't have the energy to care. He had missed several nights of sleep over the half term, and had lapsed into a routine of daydreaming and staring at walls. Natalya was right: he needed to get a grip. The only problem was, he didn't know how to.

Did Francis hate him in the same way Natalya did? He was good friends with Alfred, and they hadn't spoken over the half term. Had the others grouped together to talk about how much they hated him?

"You OK, Ivan?" Francis was looking at him with gentle cornflower blue eyes and a kind smile on his face.

Ivan felt his eyebrows furrow, because he wasn't quite sure how to react. He watched Francis' smile falter and he quickly looked back at his books. There it was. He was only holding up an appearance to make Ivan feel better. However, like everyone else, even Francis hated him now. He'd gone back to the stage of Year Ten.

They were told to stand and ready themselves for the exam. Ivan rose alongside everyone else, still staring at the back of Francis' blonde head.

The French boy looked over his shoulder and offered a wobbly smile. "G-good luck."

"Yeah," Ivan said, stiff and bland.

 **F.V.**

What Yao had said had miraculously cured him of his misery. His tears had dried by the time he'd entered the exam hall. As he was the last of his friends in the register, he had seen both Kiku and Ludwig seated. He had sent them encouraging smiles to wish them well, a look shared between students that had become a sign of familiarity. It made Fel feel more confident when both of them looked reassured by him. He already knew the pair of them were going to do fine. Ludwig and Kiku were smart kids.

Fel sat at his seat and looked at Tino's head as the Finnish boy settled into his chair. He silently wished Tino well and watched Yao pass him by to his seat. He even gave Yao an encouraging smile. If he couldn't succeed himself, then why not give others the confidence to reach forwards instead. Even though Yao looked a little awkward, Fel felt he had done the right thing. He found himself smiling when the teachers went through the instructions, and then the timer started.

Yes, he found it excruciatingly hard, and it came to the point where Fel felt he would rather leave the hall than finish the exam. However, he knew he may as well try his best. He smiled and started to provide educated guesses, and perhaps some not-so educated guesses, too. Whatever happened, happened. Fel was no longer in control. And, strangely, he was perfectly content to admit that.

 **A.J.**

Pens on paper surrounded him as students bent their heads down in concentration and scribbled on their papers. He tried not to hate Kiku, who sat in front of him, but his dark head was bent over his paper as he wrote. There was practically smoke rising from his paper due to the speed he was writing. That was the image of a kid who had studied and who knew what he was talking about. Alfred was the picture of a kid who was the opposite: ignorant and confused. His pen hovered above the paper, because he had no clue as to what he should write. If he was to dare look over his shoulder, he would see Matthew writing with no troubles. He suddenly wished he had listened to his brother, and had put the game console down for a second to do some revision.

What was his mum going to say when he completely flopped this exam? He could feel the fear prickle his arms as he considered that. She expected so much more from him now that he had started his tutoring sessions. He hadn't told her about him being a dick to Kiku and thus the end of Kiku's help. He knew that would only be another disappointment to be added to the plate, and Alfred didn't want to present that. Instead, he just sat there, and watched the seconds tick by on the clock.

 **A.K.**

Arthur was fairly sure he was the only student to have entered the exam hall without being tainted by the worries of everyone else. Even Kiku had sat there, his usually calm demeanour cracked by the potential fears of those who had sat either side. In all honesty, Arthur had only been a few people away from Kiku, and had heard Alfred's snide remark. He didn't think that was fair on Kiku, considering Alfred had been the one to ruin his chances of success by being rude to Kiku. However, he didn't intervene and had preferred to remain secluded from everyone else.

It had worked. Now he was peacefully racing through his exam. It probably helped that he was sitting behind Heracles, and thus had the perfect student to compare himself to timewise. The student in front of him had his head bowed on the desk, buried in his arms so that his face remained hidden. Arthur knew exactly what Heracles was doing. Heracles was asleep. Heracles was probably the one student in the entire exam hall who was more relaxed about the exam than Arthur was. Heracles was so relaxed, he wasn't even doing the exam.

Arthur shook his head, silently despairing for the student, and continued working his way through the paper.

 **F.B.**

His hands were shaking, his palms were sweating, his heart pounded in his chest, his mouth felt dry and his brain ached from the thoughts that swirled around. The reason was the Russian student sitting behind him. He knew he should've been more focused on the Maths exam, but he wondered what he had done so wrong to have annoyed Ivan beforehand. Undeniably, Ivan had seemed agitated, and his irritation seemed to be directed at Francis. That had left Francis to ponder whether or not he was at fault.

Usually, he would brush anger aside- Arthur had given him the practice to do so. However, this time, he could feel Ivan's gaze boring into the back of his head. Francis didn't want to get them both disqualified, but he needed to confirm his fears. He waited for his opportunity, and only reacted when the invigilators looked away.

Francis turned in his seat and saw Ivan staring at him. His friend didn't even look away, but instead leant back in his chair and ominously tilted his head to the side. His paper was closed. His pen was on the table. Ivan hadn't even _started the exam_ , but instead preferred to _stare at Francis_.

He turned away, trying to control his breathing, trying to focus on the paper. _But he couldn't_. He could still feel Ivan's gaze on the back of his head, a stare that almost _challenged_ him. Francis needed to calm down. The clock was ticking, and he was silently panicking away. He needed to _calm down_.

But why him. Why wasn't Ivan directing this at Alfred?

Francis raised his hand, deciding a quick bathroom break would help him gather his composure once more.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Thank you for being patient concerning my terrible updating scheme. Until next time~_


	42. Chapter 41

**A/N:** _Hi guys! Sorry I didn't post last Friday, but I'm trying to get back into a schedule. It's been quite busy lately, since I have relatives from Australia coming over for Christmas, and we've all been having quite late nights! I've also had a few appointments myself and had friends visit before the busy Christmas period begins._

 _On the XOs schedule was a couple of things: the dentist and the hairdresser. One of my wisdom teeth has finally decided to swan in and make a grand appearance. My dentist estimated I have about 3 wisdom teeth, and maybe a 4th? It was a while ago when she identified them, but in my latest visit, she pointed out that one was coming through! And now I can feel it! It's the tip of the tooth, and I'm hoping it doesn't grow in a problematic way. I'm terrified of needles, so the last thing I want is someone jabbing my gum in order to pull my teeth out. Or maybe it's a big enough procedure to put me under anesthetic? I hope so. I hate needles._

 _My second trip was to the hairdresser. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I_ love _getting my hair bleached. Usually I go blonde, but this time, I was like "I wanna go silver!", and I'll tell you know, it_ looks _really good. I was a bit stupid, though; the bleach was really painful, whereas usually I don't feel it. I assumed this was the irritation my hairdresser had mentioned most people experience when I first had my hair bleached, so I didn't say anything. It was_ intense _, though, and I stupidly waited until he was about to wash out the bleach to mention it was hurting me. When he was worried, I was worried, and I could see in the mirror that my scalp had gone quite red. Turns out, later, once my beautiful hair was finished, that I'd had some kind of reaction, and my scalp is now blistered with chemical burns... It's not the hairdresser's fault, because this_ does _happen when people bleach their hair, but I really should have said something at the time! He washed it out as soon as I said it was painful. So, some adult advice for all you kids who decide to go bleached; when a hairdresser says 'irritation', they mean itchy and slightly sensitive, but_ not _painful. If you feel in pain when getting your hair done, say something_ immediately _. Your hairdresser doesn't want you to be injured from the procedure. Don't do an XOs. My hair looks good, though, and you can't see the blisters unless you sift through the roots. They just need some time to heal._

 _Recently, I've discovered a band called Transviolet, and I'm really liking their album 'Kaleidoscopes'. My favourite song on it has definitely got to be 'Bruises', but I also like 'The Hamptons', 'Pretty Head', and 'Don't Put It On Me'. To be honest, I like the entire EP. I can't stop listening to it! Another song I like is by Phoebe Bridgers, and it's called 'Funeral'. If any of you have any music suggestions back, I'd love to hear them. I love music; love listening to it all day, and sometimes the charts bore me, so if anyone has suggestions, I'll listen to it!_

 _On a final note,_ Gakutalia: The First Term _and_ Scaretalia _have reached an amazing amount of views. I'm proud to say the latter has reached 13,500 views, which is an amazing amount of people! And my first Fic has now exceeded the 10,000 mark, which I'm so proud of. Thank you everyone for your support across 2017. Happy Christmas, and have a bloody great New Year!_

* * *

 **Chapter 41**

* * *

 **A.J.**

"Seriously?" he stared at the piece of paper in his hands. "An F?"

Miss Ronan arched her eyebrow. "I'm sorry Alfred, but if you're not going to study for your exams, you're not going to perform as well as you want."

She had called him up front whilst everyone reviewed and looked over their papers. Alfred had never expected, in a million years, that he would get an _F_ on the mock exam. That was the good thing, though. It was _only_ a mock exam.

"I would bring Kiku into this, but he already told me a while back that you'd stopped your sessions with him," his Maths teacher pursed her lips. "Which is a big disappointment. He said you weren't interested in learning anymore, and that your differences meant teaching you was no longer a possibility. You know what this means… right?"

"Miss?" he frowned.

"I'll be sending an e-mail home, and it's up to your mum whether or not she wants you to speak with Mrs Bentberne again or not," Alfred raised his head to stare at her in disbelief. "We did warn you that there would be consequences to your lack in grades. And you can't argue that this in an inability in your Maths skills, because your refusal for Kiku's help stands clear. What do you want to do about this?"

"Please don't send an e-mail home," he begged, eyes nervously flicking to the paper. "I-I'll try my hardest. I'll do whatever it takes to improve my grade."

"What about additional after school sessions?" she asked.

Alfred knew that whatever social reputation he had gained over the years would be crushed and burnt within moments of students discovering he was dumb enough to have extra classes. That in itself was depressing. But his mum would be so disappointed if he screwed up like this. As far as she was concerned, Kiku had become "too busy" to be involved with Alfred and his Maths problems.

"Fine," he relented, and saw satisfaction gleam in her eyes.

"It'll help you, Alfred," she assured him. "I'll still have to send an e-mail home, but I won't make it mandatory to hold a meeting with Mrs Bentberne. I'll let your mother know that you'll start having extra tutelage with me."

He nodded, hypothetically waving his reputation away. He was supposed to be the protégé of Gilbert Beilschmidt. He was failing miserably. Alfred turned once Miss Ronan handed him back his paper and saw Ivan waiting with his, as well as the small yellow post-it note of shame that likely read 'See me'. Alfred was genuinely surprised. Ivan was a smart kid, or at least, smart enough not to have any problems with his grades. What was he doing up here, having a chat with Miss Ronan?

First the physical threat, then the verbal attack, and now this? What was going on with Ivan? Alfred decided to hold out the olive branch.

"Hey, looks like we're sailing the same boat," he half-joked.

Ivan stared at him with a frown etched on his face. His expression was like marble. He didn't blink, and the corners of his mouth remained unmoving. Jokes, apparently, weren't the way to mend a friendship that had been torn apart, thrown to the ground, rubbed into the dust with one's heel, and then spat on. He breezed past and wandered over to his _real_ friends, and wondered whether he should bother at all with Ivan. That was him trying. He had done more than Ivan had, officially, over the past two months from now on. At least he could say that he was the one who had tried to fix things.

As he neared his friends, he could see that panic was occurring. Francis seemed in a near state of distress, whilst both Yao and Arthur ( _even_ Arthur, of all people) attempted to console him. It wasn't that he was crying, but he held a yellow post-it note clutched in between his hands. _Francis_? Francis had done bad enough for Miss Ronan to be concerned? That didn't seem right to Alfred. The marking must've been harsh this year, because Francis could definitely get himself some good grades when he tried. And Francis definitely tried hard in school.

"Hey, guys…" he said uncertainly as he approached. "What's up?"

"We're being picked off one by one, that's what, aru," Yao raised both eyebrows. "He's gone for your soul, my love life and now Francis' grades. We need to _do_ something, aru, because I swear on my life- and that means a lot to me- that we've been cursed."

"What are you dudes going on about?" he glanced from face to face.

Francis turned an ashen face towards him. "I can still feel him watching me."

"What?" Alfred felt a little chilled, staring at his friend's sudden decline.

Slowly, Francis glanced across the classroom. Alfred followed his gaze, and stared at Ivan, who was not watching them, but instead paying attention to whatever Miss Ronan was saying.

"What are you guys going on about?" Alfred said, as Arthur wandered round to his side whilst Yao comforted Francis further.

"It's all a load of bullshit in all honesty," he admitted. "Ivan stole Yao's supposed date for the Charity Ball, he's had a death wish for you for quite some time, and now he's made Francis' grades go down. As I said, it's a load of shite."

"What do you mean he 'made Francis' grades go down'?" Alfred frowned, wondering if he could pass the blame onto Ivan's Curse concerning his terrible grades.

"I don't really know," Arthur admitted.

"Francis, what's going on?" Alfred sat down with his French friend.

"He was just _staring_ at me," Francis reached forward and clasped Alfred's hand in between his cold ones. "This _needs to stop_ , Alfred, before it's too late."

"More like, before it affects me," Arthur folded his arms. "Some of us don't like curses."

"Look, I tried talking to him just now and it didn't work," Alfred shrugged. "He doesn't want anything to do with us. If we just leave him alone, he won't deal with us."

"That's true," Yao dipped into the conversation. "He _did_ stop hanging out with us."

"And he no longer comes to our Saturday cooking classes," Francis mused.

"I don't think I've had a full conversation with him since December," Arthur added.

"There we go, dudes," Alfred said, in his outdoors voice. "It's all about cutting contacts, right?"

"Tone it down," Arthur hissed, when eyes turned towards them.

"Too late, aru," Yao looked down at the desk, curling his hands into his lap.

"What do you mean?" Alfred looked across the classroom and met Ivan's gaze.

And held it.

 **K.H.**

"There's such a tense atmosphere in here recently," Fel commented, as Alfred's loud voice had rung out and caused a complete silence.

That had passed, and conversations had continued.

"Well, Ivan and Alfred have been fighting, haven't they?" Ludwig folded his arms, glancing towards Ivan, who was speaking to Miss Ronan.

"Have they?" Fel glanced between them, eyebrows raised. "I didn't even realise."

"They have," Ludwig shook his head. "I'm sure Feliks knows more than me, but it's a really big argument. Apparently their friendship group is rather… torn apart."

"At least nothing like that will happen to us," Fel beamed. "We're as close as anyone can be."

"Very close?" Kiku looked at him.

Fel suddenly seemed uncertain. "I was fairly sure we were the best of friends…"

"I suppose, then, that as we're so close, you might want to explain why you brought _Emma_ , and not Michelle, to the Charity Ball?" Kiku kept his voice lowered, so only the three of them could hear it.

The colour drained from Fel's cheeks and he glanced in all directions. As they were in the middle of a lesson, he had no chance of escaping. He was stuck, and Ludwig matched Kiku's expression of idle curiosity.

"Well, uh… you see…" Fel scratched the back of his head, before swallowing deeply. "Please forgive me, guys- and don't tell either of them."

"Please explain to us what's going on," Kiku rested his elbows on the table and shot Fel a curious stare.

"I may be dating both Emma and Michelle," Fel frowned, and looked down at the table. "I know I said I wanted a girlfriend during my New Year's Wish, but I never expected to get two."

"This can only end in misery," Ludwig folded his arms.

"I know, but the thing is…" Fel nervously chewed on his lip. "I really like them both. I don't want to end it with either of them."

"Didn't someone once say something about staying with the second person?" Kiku frowned. "Because if you really loved the first, you wouldn't fall in love with the second."

"Well, someone needs to tell that person that the heart can multitask," Fel argued. "I'm not leaving either Emma or Michelle."

"Don't break a girl's heart," Ludwig said pointedly. "You need to make a decision, Fel, and you need to make it soon. Otherwise, this will bite you back."

"I know…" Fel's shoulders visibly slumped. "Give me time. I need time to decide."

"We won't interfere," Ludwig said, before Kiku could begin pressuring him. "But if this continues on for too long, you'll end up suffering. I hope you understand this?"

"Of course I do," Fel waved a dismissive hand. "As clear as day. I'll get around to it."

That was when Kiku felt the conversation ought to be changed. An erratic, nervousness had overcome Fel, and his need to push aside their words implied he was getting irate. Kiku was one for avoiding conflict.

"How did everyone do?" he tapped his paper, despite having gotten full marks.

Even though Alfred had passive aggressively attempted to spoil his mood before the exam, he had adapted swiftly and set himself into the exam mode. Once immersed, he was fine, and numbers became a part of his existence. If he programmed himself to complete the exam, then he could pretend he was a computer designed to solve problems relayed on the paper.

"Yes, I got a strong A," Ludwig nodded, also relieved to be changing the subject.

"I have to see Miss Ronan," Fel frowned. "I tried my best guys- but I really suck. D's as good as I can get."

Kiku always pitied Fel. No matter how much the Italian attempted to improve his grades, he dipped and fell. He could never get a high grade and, at this stage, Kiku didn't have much hope for him improving significantly. Fel himself was always keen to admit that academics just weren't for him. His art, though, was some of the most beautiful Kiku had ever laid eyes on. If he followed his dreams, Kiku was more than certain that Fel could become well-known for his artistic talent.

"At least you tried," Ludwig said.

"Even then…" Fel suddenly grimaced. "Yao told me I shouldn't expect good results if I don't revise."

Ludwig's brow furrowed. "How can you say you tried your hardest if you didn't even revise?"

"I don't know Ludwig," he panicked. "I mean, I was desperately trying to get it right, but… I don't know. I hate revising, and I was busy over the half term."

"Right, well…" Ludwig pursed his lips. "At least try and revise before the real exams."

"I know," Fel crossed his legs as he examined his paper.

"And maybe make your relationship issues a problem of the past in the future," Ludwig added.

"Yeah, I know," their Italian friend sighed, before getting to his feet, paper clutched in his hands. "I gotta go see Miss Ronan about these grades of mine. I should be right back."

"Good luck," Kiku said worriedly, as he watched him walk away.

"I hope this all goes well for him," Ludwig shook his head. "He's one of those good people who have bad things come his way."

"Yeah," Kiku agreed, watching as Fel queued behind Heracles Karpusi.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Until next time~_


	43. Chapter 42

**A/N:** _Hey everyone! This is quite emotional to say, but this is the last chapter I'll be posting before 2018 begins! How weird is that? People born in 2000 will be turning 18 next year, and that just seems two minutes ago, in truth. When did I become so old? I'm not even_ that _old! Anyway, thank goodness 2017 has ended because I'm really done with this year. Bring it on, 2018!_

 _Have a Happy New Year everyone!  
~XOs_

* * *

 **Chapter 42**

* * *

 **A.K.**

They all headed to drama class. Now that the Charity Ball was over, it seemed like he could really focus on what was important to him. That meant Peter. His little brother was likely suffering at this point, and Arthur didn't want this bullying to continue on for much longer. He found himself walking alongside Francis, the two of them strolling with one another, side by side. After the initial Maths shock, Francis seemed to have recovered. His talk with Miss Ronan seemed to have clarified some things, although Francis hadn't wanted to go into detail.

Now that they were on their way, with Alfred and Yao a couple steps ahead, absorbed in their own conversation, he had the chance to finally begin discussing things with Francis. His best friend (yes, he actually just admitted he and Francis were best friends, but he would never say it aloud) was the only other person to be aware of Peter's issues.

"Francis," he said, as they walked, and the French student glanced at him. "We need to start thinking about what we want to do with Peter."

Francis pursed his lips. "Good point. I'm sorry; I must admit the poor boy has been completely out of mind because of the Charity Ball."

"I've been rather wrapped up in that, too," Arthur frowned. "I 'broke it off' with Elizabeta, by the way. Did I tell you?"

Francis looked shocked. "No, you didn't. I suppose it was coming. I really hope Roderich's emotionally suffering for this, especially after what he's put Elizabeta through."

"He can't help the way he feels," Arthur said. "If he only has platonic feelings towards her, there's not a lot we can do about that."

"I know," Francis puffed out his cheeks. "But I really thought… Never mind, it's no longer any of our business. We've meddled, and I've only made Elizabeta more upset in the process. On Peter, though…"

"We need to do something," Arthur scowled. "He looks so dejected all the time, nowadays, and it only makes it worse now that I have half a clue as to what's going on."

"We need to find out more," Francis said, determined. "Which means we need to confront both Peter and Raivis about this."

"You think?" Arthur frowned. "Yeah, I suppose so. He doesn't know that I know."

Francis nodded slowly in thought. "Indeed… We'll catch them both at some lunchtime during the week. Sound like a plan?"

Arthur nodded with vigour. "Sounds like a bloody good one."

"At this moment, we have a play to participate in," Francis nodded knowingly.

 **F.V.**

Being the Fool was a rather invigorating position. Whilst Fel originally viewed the man to be an idiot, the witty criticisms directed at Lear indicated there was far more depth to him than perhaps recognised. He had learnt to appreciate his character, rather than look down on him. It came to the point when he was thoroughly disappointed when his character disappeared halfway through the play, cryptically claiming he would "go to bed at noon".* Fel had no clue as to what that meant, but even the mysterious disappearance of the Fool had captured his heart and made him fall in love with the character.

He rather enjoyed his part in the play. But when he wasn't doing anything, and when Emma wasn't acting, she sidled up to him along the sides, sitting close enough so that their legs touched. He could feel Ludwig watching him from across the room, but didn't dare attempt to meet his gaze.

"Hey, there," she smiled. "How'd the Maths go for you?"

"Oh, um…" he scratched the back of his head. "Not wholly well, but-"

"I'm sorry," she frowned. "I shouldn't have asked. I just wanted to tell you that my brother's visiting this weekend…"

Fel glanced at her idly, recalling that her brother had been visiting during Valentine's Day, thus allowing him to spend the day with Michelle instead.

"Oh, it'll be nice to see him again," Fel beamed.

"That's the thing…" she twiddled her thumbs. "We've been together a full month now, and… I'm not wholly sure when he'll be back. Probably the end of March, but he was hinting that he was going to Amsterdam for some time…"

"But you'll see him?" he asked casually.

"I also mentioned us to my parents," she glanced sheepishly away. "Because they knew I went to the Charity Ball with you…"

Slowly, he looked at her, his mind gathering the facts.

"That's OK with you, right?" she asked hastily, green eyes widening when she saw his expression. "You're fine about people knowing we're a thing?"

"Family's fine," he nodded quickly. "My brother knows. And close friends. Just… not the whole year yet."

"I agree about the whole close friends and family," she nodded. "So… since my brother's here this weekend, I… was hoping you might be able to come round and meet him?"

He had never met or noticed Emma's brother in the past. He had to assume he was very similar to Emma and her _younger_ brother, Jan (he had met him- nice kid, he was in the year below). The pair of them were so bubbly and lively, friendly, too, so he doubted this mysterious older brother would be any different.

Fel beamed and smiled. "Of course! Maybe you can meet Lovino one day."

He desperately didn't want her to meet his flirty, uncouth brother.

"That would be lovely," she smiled.

His also didn't want her to meet his father. Not in a million light years.

"This weekend, then," she grinned.

"Give me a postcode and I'll find my way there," he nodded, suddenly eager to meet Emma's family.

 **Y.W.**

Suddenly being able to act again, after so much worrying about the Charity Ball, truly made Yao's day. He had forgotten how much of a release it could be. No longer was he Yao Wang, but instead Edmund… just Edmund, really. There was nothing wrong with being just Edmund. It was certainly better than being Edmund the Bastard. When he played this character, he could understand the character's sheer hatred towards his father. He was the neglected, and quite frankly less favoured child. It made Yao furious to think that Gloucester would be so… damning of one of his son's. It made revenge seem like the only possible answer. The only solution. Yao was on Edmund's side in this.

It also helped that Kiku was Edgar. His _rival_ in real life was his _enemy_ in the play. To see the other boy reduced to pretending to be mad truly made Yao's day. It was clear that a lot more character development had gone into Edmund… No, perhaps that was wrong. They both had just as much development, but in their own respective ways. Sure, Edmund was slain at the end, but that was somehow inevitable with the direction things were going. Yao believed that, even in death, Edmund was a spectacular character. It was always the sinister ones who had the audience's heart.

At the same time, Yao also got to interact with Elizabeta and Emma. Arthur had explained his 'break up' with the beautiful Hungarian goddess, as well as he and Francis' plan to set her up with Roderich. As that hadn't worked out, Yao believed that he might've been able to rekindle his chances with her, regardless of how he had treated her in Year Ten. Why he had ever believed that was a good idea he had no clue. Why did he think he had the right to go round telling everyone he had reached third base with her? What had possessed him? It hadn't even been a dare set by Alfred- fourteen year old Yao Wang was actually just a prick. Her anger at him had been completely justified because he had lied so blatantly. She hadn't properly spoken to him again until Year Twelve.

As for Emma, she had attended the Charity Ball with Feliciano Vargas. Why anyone would be interested in the coward of the year, Yao had no clue. However, there was always someone out there for everyone, regardless. Emma was also an extremely pretty girl, so he had no complaints about working alongside her, single or no.

Even so… Mei was the one on his heart. Even if he worked with a pretty cast, she was the lead girl in his life. He may have been… God forbid… "friendzoned"… but Yao was determined to keep his chances going. He was still moderately sure that she didn't know him enough to friendzone him. If anything, she should've friendzoned Ivan… Oh, but technically she had- her explanation of wanting to get closer to Kiku was justification enough why Ivan had brought her to the Charity Ball.

Even so, he was still angry at Ivan. His supposed 'friend' had not told him about Mei's feelings for Kiku, and had instead convinced him that she harboured a huge crush on _Yao_ instead. So be it, Ivan had lied. But Yao had not given up. Mei had barely spoken to Kiku, and once she discovered his true colours, she was more than likely to drop all interest. In the meantime, he could silently take revenge on Ivan through his character. Edmund cheated with the Duke of Cornwall's wife, and that was good enough for Yao.

It also helped that Yao was never really alone with Ivan on stage. The Duke of Cornwall wasn't a major character, and he died relatively soon in the play, but Yao was also surrounded by his fellow students, which included Alfred. The two were able to hang out at the sides whilst Arthur and Francis spent most of their time with their heads bent together in conversation. He often wondered what they were in such a deep discussion about, but he wasn't about to ask. Arthur and Francis were sometimes in their own little world. He had Alfred, and being with people was the thing that mattered most in these dark times.

That was because they now had a plan. It wasn't perhaps the most sociable or kindest of plans, but neither Yao nor his friends had been those kinds of people. Alfred had thus named it PROJECT EXPEL. No, they didn't plan to get Ivan expelled from World Academy, but rather they intended to expel him from their friendship group. Technically, he had already semi-isolated himself, drifting away from them and lingering nearby Toris or Eduard. It was like Year Ten all over again.

Yao believed PROJECT EXPEL was the right route to take. Ivan had begun to create chaos amongst their friendship group and Yao would prefer to avoid such a haphazard.

That was correct. Ivan would no longer be a part of their friendship group. Perhaps that was remorse Yao felt panging in his chest, but he believed it was more likely to be indigestion. Yao didn't have feelings. There was little to be done about the direction this had taken. It was about time they took action, even if that meant spurning another student. The entire year would be grateful for the chaos to end, especially as everyone was now aware of the tensions passing between Alfred and Ivan.

It hadn't even been four months since Freedom and the Coms had been a thing… That was probably the explanation for the sudden pain Yao felt in his chest. The three of them had become so close. Whilst there was the five of them, Arthur and Francis were nearly attached at the hip. When Yao first bonded with those two and Alfred in Year Five, the other three had been significantly closer. As time passed, he had slowly become closer with Alfred, and then Ivan joined them in Year Ten. The five of them eventually became friends, but there were times when sometimes Yao and Ivan were still a little out of the loop…

Except when Year Thirteen began and Alfred started Freedom and the Coms with he and Ivan. Sure, it had been founded on the need to find fame in the Talent Show, but the three of them had really bonded over the four months. Whilst Francis and Arthur had each other to turn to in order to escape the chaos… Yao actually didn't have anyone. Perhaps that was why he attempted to reach out to Kiku briefly?

Yao didn't want Alfred and Ivan to fight anymore. He wanted things to go back to the way they once had been. It was alright for Arthur and Francis. They had each other. Yao, though, was close to both Alfred and Ivan.

Yao was stuck in the middle, and no one else had truly realised that.

* * *

*Shakespeare, W. 1606. _King Lear_. 2000 Heinemann Advanced Shakespeare (2nd Edition). Edinburgh: Act 3, Scene 6, line 84: p153.


	44. Chapter 43

**A/N:** _Wow, it's been a long time! I'm honestly so sorry for such a long delay between now and the last time I've posted. I've had a lot of work upon coming back from Christmas, and it's been quite busy for me ever since.  
_

 _Not only have I been working on Gakutalia, but at the end of December, I completed what I'm proud to say is my first novel. Between then and now, I've been working hard to get it into manuscript form and have my friends and family read it before I find an agent and get it published. It's been very time-consuming, and I really am sorry for not having focused as much on Gakutalia as a result!_

 _I suppose that's why I'm always asking for feedback in reviews. Gakutalia is definitely less sophisticated compared to other things I've written, because I find myself improving quite rapidly over time. For me, I've always wanted to be an author, and FanFiction was my gateway for presenting, if I may call it this, 'samples' of my writing style. I particularly enjoyed Investigasians, because it encouraged me to think about how plot and characters really make a story, and how carefully you have to avoid any loopholes! I still greatly enjoy what I write online; it_ is _different in some ways to what I've written for the manuscript, but it's still definitely mine. It's fun to use Himaruya's characters rather than go to the effort of making up my own sometimes, so Gakutalia, Investigasians, and even Scaretalia, have been really good, not just for practice in writing, but also for my confidence as a writer. I have all of you to thank for that._

 _Finally, I want to apologise if I haven't responded to anyone's reviews from previous chapters. It_ is _because I've been wrapped up in completing the manuscript. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but my fingers are crossed and, with any luck, I might be a published author in due time. So, thank you all for your support in the now four FanFics I've posted, because each and every story I've written can be accounted towards the final product. And if I do get published, that won't stop me posting here! I love Hetalia, and I love the FanFics I've written. I wouldn't want any of my creative ideas to go to waste simply because I have something else to write. Every writer gets writer's block on_ one _story, sometimes, so it's great to have backups to turn to when the main text is frustrating you._

 _Again, thank you so much! Without further ado, the next chapter of Hetalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 43**

 **L.B.**

The pair of them had made up some kind of lie that Miss Ronan had wanted to discuss a Maths competition with them that lunch, so that they couldn't hang out with Fel. It felt cruel, but necessary at the same time. In return, their Italian friend had dopily told them he would find Elizabeta and Roderich in the music rooms, because they were his go to when neither Ludwig nor Kiku were available. That at least brought them comfort, rather than have their friend wander the school corridors, dejected and alone.

They now sat in the Maths room where Kiku hosted manga club. All his students idly drew on their respective pieces of paper. Luckily, Fel wasn't intelligent enough to catch on that A) a Maths meeting wouldn't take up an entire lunch and B) Kiku would never sacrifice his manga club for a Maths meeting, no matter how good he was at Maths. It just didn't happen. His innocent obliviousness worked in their favour, unfortunately, and Ludwig knew Roderich and Elizabeta would be more than happy to take him under their wing for one lunch. Besides, if he mentioned the contest, it didn't matter, because the two would likely assume both Ludwig and Kiku had performed excellently. They had, but their own positive abilities at Maths aided their lie.

But to what purpose were they avoiding Fel? He was their friend after all. The answer was simple: they needed to plan his birthday. It was in just about two weeks, and neither of them had anything planned so far. Fel hadn't mentioned a lot of what he wanted to do, despite this being his eighteenth birthday, which had left Ludwig and Kiku very stuck in their process of planning. They had pondered over the theatre, but then deemed Fel would likely lose interest if it wasn't something he was completely committed to. Another idea had been an art gallery, but… there was only so much one could do after looking at art, and they wanted it to be memorable, just as Ludwig's and Kiku's had been. The opera? Possibly, but it could have the same success or failure as the theatre.

The problem with Fel was that he was either easily impressed or bored senseless. A pasta bar would make his day, but Kiku and Ludwig felt it was inadequate. Fel hated scary things and hard work, as seen in his struggling with Ludwig's hiking birthday. He loved art, but not in the same way as Kiku, and they didn't seem to have conventions for artists… other than at art galleries. In other words, the pair of them felt a little flustered as to what to do…

"I don't know," Kiku raked his hands through his hair. "Fel's actually very hard to think of a birthday for."

"He likes everything, but at the same time, hates everything," Ludwig groaned, exasperated. "I'd have thought something would come easily to mind, but no…"

"It's not even that…" Kiku frowned. "He's so easily impressed, but in all the wrong ways."

"What are you two talking about?" Yong Soo Im, from the year below, and also Kiku's greatest critique of all time, was staring at them from across the room.

"Oh, not much…" Kiku mumbled. Ludwig's translation was 'None of your business', but he didn't say that aloud.

"Well, it must be something, considering you were talking about that Feliciano guy's birthday," Yong said pointedly.

Kiku sighed for a long time. "We're trying to think of what to do for his eighteenth."

"Having listened to your entire conversation, I already had that figured," Yong Soo said confidently. "He likes art and food? Show him something he'll never forget."

"Show him something he'll never forget…" Ludwig murmured, lowering his eyes to the desk and thinking real hard.

Then it hit him, and he had a brilliant idea.

 **F.B.**

The pair of them found Peter and Raivis with ease. The two boys were busy eating lunch, and since Francis had the desire to pin them down, he wasn't about to let them escape. After Arthur had spoken to him, he had detected real concern from his friend. That only made sense. It was perfectly fine to worry about one's brother if that particular brother was being put under significant emotional strain.

The very moment Francis placed his tray alongside the two Year Nine boys, suspicion filled their eyes. Arthur followed in suit. Yao and Alfred hesitated, before deciding to relocate to their own table. It seemed some people were too cool. It worked for them anyway. There was no point in getting Alfred and Yao involved in something that had very little to do with them.

"Arthur?" Peter narrowed his eyes. That was only reasonable. Usually, one would have to drag Arthur hissing and spitting before he would be seen anywhere near Peter.

"Hey, there," Arthur smiled- mistake number one. Arthur never smiled. "How's it going?"

"What do you want?" Peter asked cautiously.

The smile instantly vanished from Arthur's face. "What the bloody hell do you mean by that?"

Francis could see this was already taking the wrong direction. If anything, Arthur was beginning to scare Raivis.

"Wait a second," Francis intervened, and all eyes turned on him. "We just wanted to know if the two of you have been alright recently…"

Peter tilted his head. "Yeah, we're fine. Why?"

"Well, the thing is…" Francis began.

"Cut the crap and tell me their names, what they look like and what their deal is," Arthur growled and Peter flinched.

"Arthur!" Francis panicked.

"What are you talking about?" Peter asked in terror.

"I know you've been taking food and _alcohol_ out of the house to sate some bullies," Arthur said. "You and Raivis have to tell us what's going on."

Peter leant back in his chair, hesitating enough for Francis to believe they had ruined their chances. However, he had sorely forgotten that Peter was still part of the Kirkland family. They were composed of harshness. The young boy breathed out a tired sigh and looked his brother dead in the eye.

"You'll just tell the adults," he said.

Arthur leant back in his chair. "So, you _are_ being bullied?"

Peter looked away sheepishly. "Well, yes… But I won't tell you anything. You'll just tell the adults."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Francis asked.

"No," Peter shook his head. "That only makes things worse."

"I see what you mean," Arthur sighed, leaning forwards. "But at least tell us the situation."

Peter shook his head. "Just knowing about these things doesn't fix them, you know."

Their table sat still for a moment, not speaking and not touching their food. Francis tried to think of something to amend the situation. At least Peter had confessed… It was a start, and every story had a beginning. It was just about getting the story started, was all…

"Will you tell us the situation if we help you get rid of the bullies?" Francis suddenly asked, feeling the cogs in his imaginative brain turn.

Peter shared a glance with Raivis, and he could feel Arthur's gaze on him. However, he instead remained focused on Peter, who seemed to be the main victim in all of this. To Francis, the youngest Kirkland son was like a little brother, too. He was close enough with Arthur and his family to consider them as family. Francis desperately wanted to help Peter in the same way Arthur did.

When Peter looked back at him, there was a new resolution in his eyes that Francis admired.

"OK, but you have to promise not to tell anyone," Peter held his hand out to Francis- not Arthur.

"Deal," Francis said with a smile, and shook on it.

 **A.J.**

He knew what he needed to do in order to make things right. In fact, it had been playing on his mind for a very long time, but he had never acted upon it. Several times he had considered just talking things through, but had shied away, knowing that he was in the wrong. However, today was the day that Alfred would make a difference. He was determined for things to change.

There was also the fact that he had spoken to Natalya. She had taken one good look at his Maths paper and decided that he was a failure as a friend and a student. That had been enough to convince him- or more convince her- that he needed to become a bigger person. Alfred could agree. He wasn't usually an arsehole, and the Charity Ball had somewhat enlightened him. Yes, it had taken psychological rebound for that to happen, sadly, but seeing Ivan in such a dark place had really opened Alfred's eyes.

That was why, when he had finished lunch, he apologised to Yao that he had a purpose to do. He had a vague idea of where he might be, purely because of the extracurricular sheet that every student was given at the start of the year, even Mr Saunders' form group. He strode down the corridors, knowing there were only two outcomes from what was to happen next:

A second chance, or complete failure.

He closed his hand around the door handle, turning it with enough force to draw eyes from the students who sat within the classroom. Throwing the door open, he strode in and turned his head to side, to see both Kiku and Ludwig staring at him from the teacher's desk.

"Kiku!" he yelled, letting the door slam shut behind him. "Please- I need your help!"

The Japanese boy remained stoically in his chair, although his gaze was much less unforgiving when compared to Ludwig's.

"I'm sorry for being such a-"

"Perhaps we ought to take this outside," Kiku rose from his seat and walked down.

Alfred grabbed his shoulders roughly, seeing the terror appear in Kiku's face. "I'm not like that any-"

Kiku grabbed one of his wrists in a vicelike grip, and curled his other hand into Alfred's jumper. Ducking down low, he shifted his body underneath Alfred's, catching him in the momentum and turning him over his shoulder. It wasn't enough to wind him, but Alfred found himself lying on the floor, staring up at Kiku, with snickers and gasps filling the air as the class watched the scene play out.

"Please be quiet," Kiku told his class. "And continue with your exercises. Ludwig will monitor you. As for you, Alfred, I apologise. I don't like being touched, and you were very… _sudden_ in your movements." He held out his hand to help Alfred up. "We'll talk outside."

Speechless, Alfred let Kiku help him stand. Still without a word, he followed the other student from the room. It was only when the door closed did Kiku finally look Alfred in the eye.

"Those were some mad skills back there, du-"

"What is it you wanted to say to me, Alfred?" Kiku's tone had suddenly become icy, but there wasn't even anger in his eyes. He remained impassive.

Alfred froze, and hesitated, watching the Japanese boy carefully, before lowering his eyes in shame. "I came here to apologise. So. I'm sorry for the way I treated you."

"I assume failing your Maths mock exam has brought you here," he replied coolly. "Congratulations- you never cease to ama-"

"Yes," Alfred replied, and watched his eyebrows rise. "Yes, that's exactly why I'm here. I told Natalya about failing and she told me to get the fuck over myself. That's one reason why I'm here. But, dude- _Kiku_ \- every big moment in history needs a catalyst, and you could say my failing was my catalyst."

The brutality left Kiku's face. His features softened and the tension left his body as he looked down the corridor, unable to hold Alfred's gaze.

"But I wouldn't be here if I didn't care," Alfred said. "I could find another tutor, have my mum pay for one, and I've already got extra Maths sessions with Miss Ronan now. Quite frankly, I don't _have_ to be here. But I am. Because I value our sessions together, and I value the friendship we had once. I'm sorry for the way I treated you, Kiku, and if I had to choose anyone to be my Support when I need healing, it would have to be you."

Alfred felt it was right to finish there. Silence filled the corridor, and Kiku remained as still as a statue. He had failed. His words hadn't moved Kiku because he wasn't eloquent like Arthur was. He couldn't convey himself properly and he couldn't appeal to other people's-

-the corners of Kiku's mouth twitched up. "Apology accepted."

The pair of them waited for it. Kiku turned his dark eyes towards Alfred and actually smiled.

"Baka."

* * *

 **A/N:** _Hue, hue! I had fun writing this. Thank you all so much for your patience, and let's get the Gakutalia bandwagon rolling again! Until next time~_


	45. Chapter 44

**A/N:** _Hello, I'm sorry it's been such a long time. I've been going through something quite bad, but I think it may have come to close. Sadly, it's both a good and bad thing that this has happened, as I have lost someone who was a friend, yet also regained my personal freedom._

 _It's very difficult confronting people, particularly when they're a friend and when you suffer from social anxiety, such as myself. As far back as January, this friend of mine began to grow increasingly rude towards me and other friends we hung out with. At first, it was tolerable, but it was bad that I also live with her and that I couldn't escape any of her somewhat insulting comments. Sarcasm can be incredibly funny when used properly, but tone really matters. Without a certain tone in someone's voice, the comments instead come across as plain rude and insulting, and she was beginning to upset a lot of people. Moreover, I no longer felt uncomfortable to be myself around her. Every eye roll and shake of her head put me off wanting to be around her, and when I would take refuge around other friends' houses, she would comment that I was "leaving her again", or asking me why she was never invited. For me, it was a really and truly suffocating atmosphere, especially as I'm someone who loves my personal space._

 _A few months ago, back in November, I had fallen out with my other housemate, who had deferred the year, and I was beginning to believe I was a toxic person. I felt really isolated, wondering who I would upset next, and my desire to be alone only furthered. I was on a twisted cycle of using the late hours up to 5am just to get some time to myself, until it got to the point that I lost the one passion that means everything to me: writing. That's why I haven't been very active._

 _It was so hard to talk to her about what she had been putting me and my other friends through. She was not a good friend about it. She told me she was going to cry in her room, further increasing my anxiety and throwing all the blame and guilt onto. Her apology to the others seemed forced as she mentioned that I'd spoken to her about it. After that, I felt the atmosphere just wasn't the same between us. She would make a joke about how she acted, humouring the situation and reminding me of the guilt. The cycle felt like it was on repeat and I absolutely hated it. I couldn't find refuge in writing because my mind wouldn't focus, and I couldn't hide in my room for she opened doors without knocking and would stick to me like glue. My home wasn't comfortable anymore, and no matter how much I wanted to tell her to leave me alone, the constant reminder that I was giving her the second chance and being the nice one was hanging over my head. The amount I put up with purely because I wanted to be fair is awful and, as a person, I felt like I was always being taken for granted._

 _But recently, she crossed the final straw. She insulted my mother. My mother doesn't have a job, but she is a part-time carer to both my grandma, who is fatally ill, and my uncle, who is not independent. Since my father works abroad, he is not here half of the year to help her out with that. My friend is fully aware of this, and yet still had the gall to question what my mother's purpose in life was. She had insulted me, my friends, and now my family, and I felt no reason to justify her actions anymore. My feelings of guilt, anxiety, misery, and anger all merged into a tight ball in my chest and were left to fester as I tried to grin and bear whatever she said next._

 _I will not hide from my readers that I suffer from both anxiety and depression. I have never intentionally harmed myself before, but I needed to escape. I had reached a bad chapter in my life once more and was struggling to crawl back out. It got to the point where I would cry when I woke up, so I called my mother, who reasoned to me that it was not my fault that I had ended up living with two people who were generally disagreeable in nature. She opened my eyes that I had other friends because I_ wasn't _as poisonous as I had made myself believe._

 _From now on, I am trying to stand up to this so-called 'friend', who has judged and diminished me as a person for far too long now. I hope that, should any of you find yourselves in such a situation, that you do not allow yourself to be reduced and bullied by whomever may be treating you in such a manner. People like this 'friend' act to control others, to peer pressure whomever and look down upon others. I feel like I am emerging once more, and hope to make a full recovery. I also hope to get back onto a regular posting system. It saddens me that such a story I've been so passionate about has been delayed so heavily by my personal affairs._

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia._

 **Chapter 44**

 **K.H.**

The pair of them walked out of the gates together. Kiku was rolling his bike along his side, but he knew he wouldn't be using it today. On this day, they were going to walk, because Alfred didn't have a bike. It was actually nice. Kiku hadn't envisioned him ever being able to hang out with Alfred again, so this was a pleasant surprise. The crisp, March air smelt suddenly sweeter, and any anxieties Kiku had had over Alfred seemed to lift within an instant.

They both noticed Matthew standing to the side of the path, waiting for Alfred like he usually did. The twins stared at one another. Kiku saw the undisguised look of surprise on Matthew's face to see them side by side, and he partly couldn't blame him. Alfred had treated him very badly, but there was something about his apology that had reached Kiku. Perhaps it could be argued that he was easily manipulated… but he didn't think that was it. It was the genuineness of Alfred's words, the way they couldn't be used on anyone save for Kiku. A personal touch, one could say.

"Hey, Mattie!" Alfred grinned, waving. "I'm round Kiku's today."

For a moment, Matthew seemed bewildered- too stunned to speak, even. But then, the smallest of smiles appeared on his face, which soon widened and he nodded.

"Have fun," he said, pleased, lifting a hand and bidding them goodbye.

Kiku watched the twins share a look, before Matthew departed towards their mum's car. He took to the path that led down to the bus stop and out of the school, Alfred by his side. Usually, they would ride their bikes, but if Alfred hadn't expected to befriend him again, then he wouldn't have brought his bike. He'd have been driven in by his mum. So they walked together, with Kiku wheeling the bike along.

"You know, we have a lot to catch up on," Kiku said, as they wandered away from the main body of students and onto the path that would eventually lead to Alfred and Kiku's road.

"Yeah, we do," Alfred raised his eyebrows. "Did you know Natalya and I are official now?"

"Hmm, let me think…" Kiku raised his eyes to sky. "I knew you were Buddies, but I did have suspicions."

Alfred nodded with a smile.

"And… Ivan's OK with this?" Kiku gave Alfred the best knowing smile he could muster. He, alongside the rest of the year, knew that the two were one step away from murdering one another.

"Nope," Alfred shoved his hands in his pockets and grimaced. "He's not OK with it _at all_. But, you know, it's not his decision. It's Natalya's. And I respect Natalya."

"I can tell," Kiku chuckled. "You actually _listen_ to her."

"Geez, you're right," Alfred grinned. "I never thought the day would come when I, Alfred Jones, actually started listening to someone."

They walked along a little bit, and Kiku could feel thoughts running through his mind. He wanted to ask Alfred what had happened the night of the Charity Ball, yet at the same time, it felt like it was definitely untouchable ground. What if it brought traumatic memories spiralling back? Kiku would never be able to forgive himself if something like that were to happen. Yet at the same time, he wondered if this drama with Ivan was affecting Alfred's capability to learn?

"You alright, dude?"

He blinked and noticed Alfred was looking at him. There was curiosity in his eyes, and an unknowing smile on his face.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine," he looked straight ahead once more, concentrating on the path they walked down.

"You looked like you wanted to ask something for a moment," Alfred pointed out.

He frowned, because he didn't want to ask anything that concerned the night of the Charity Ball. It felt too personal. Perhaps he ought to remain subtle, or even ask a question that didn't relate to that night in the slightest? Kiku had to battle his curiosities away. If Alfred had wanted someone to know what had happened, he would've told everyone, not just one person. The fact that he had remained quiet meant this was his secret to keep.

"Are you OK?" Kiku asked nonchalantly. It was a universal question that usually received the typical " _I'm fine_ " lie.

Alfred glanced at him, wearing a contemplative expression. Had he read Kiku's mind, somehow? Or was there just a mutual understanding between two human beings that allowed the other to connect to the emotional atmosphere? Sometimes, the silence explained it all, and people were capable of thinking alike. That was perfectly possible. Sometimes it happened coincidentally, and whilst it was difficult to believe or understand, it was still _possible_. He didn't know if Alfred somehow read the atmosphere to know what Kiku was referring to, but he smiled breezily and looked ahead as well, a distant expression appearing in his eyes.

"I'm in good hands," he replied.

It wasn't a straight answer, but it was consolation enough. In fact, it meant " _You can't know about this, but you can at least know I'm not alone in it_ ". That was fine with Kiku. There was actually some part of him that didn't _want_ to know about Alfred's problems, purely because he wanted to maintain his light-hearted friendship with the American student. Therefore, that part of Kiku was relieved that Alfred didn't glance from side to side and decide to tell him the truth.

Of course, there would always be the friend within him that wanted to understand Alfred. That was fine, too. Kiku was allowed to care about other people. But that didn't mean he had to know everybody's life story. Kiku was content with knowing that there were things he didn't know. He didn't have an excessive thirst for knowledge, and he respected a person's desire for their own space. This was something only Alfred and his family needed to know. Kiku was happy to see the side of Alfred that enjoyed life and hated Maths. As long as Kiku knew his friends were affected by something, but that they were managing, he was content.

He would hate to think there was someone out there who suffered in silence.

 **F.V.**

"I'm home," Fel announced as he walked inside, and was instantly met by Lovino. "Fratello?"

Lovino shrugged off his school bag and turned him back outside. "Not now, Fel. Go out and have a coffee or something."

"But I don't have any money?" he blinked. "What's going on?"

Lovino crammed some notes into his hands. "Visit friends, do something."

"Lovi, what's happening?" he said irritably as his brother managed to wrestle him outside.

"He's in a mood, Fel," Lovino replied.

"What?" he frowned.

"Just stay out of the way," Lovino began closing the door, whilst taking Fel's keys out of front.

Fel jammed his foot in. "What about-"

"I'll be fine," Lovino smiled thinly before pushing his foot outside and closing the door.

For a moment, Fel stood dejected on the doorstep, before releasing a sigh. He hated these moments, when Lovino had begun stepping up and taking the brunt of things. After his fall down the stairs, Fel had become an endangered species to his older brother. He knew Lovino took the pain, and that only hurt him more.

But there was nothing he could do, and without his keys, there was no getting back inside.

He crammed his hands into his pockets and strolled away, hoping Lovino would be OK.

 **A.K.**

They had gone to Francis' house instead of walking today. The bullies would likely be very confused to find Peter and Raivis were no longer present. Certainly, Raivis had been so surprised to sit in the back of Francis' expensive sports car which, for reasons Arthur couldn't explain, the chauffeur still drove. When asked, Francis became cryptic, shrugging and saying he didn't like change and needed protection. Arthur had ended up crammed into the back with Peter and Raivis.

When they had arrived at Francis' house, Raivis had been even more impressed, and Arthur ended up scolding Francis for offering the two fourteen year olds alcoholic beverages. His friend's response had been: "In France, children are allowed to drink so long as they are supervised by an adult". Arthur had replied: "This isn't France". That had been the end of that, and Peter and Raivis had contented themselves with orange juice.

Now they were discussing what to do concerning the bullying situation.

"So, tell me about these bullies…" Francis said knowledgeably.

"They're probably a couple years older than us," Peter glanced at Raivis. "So, around Year Eleven."

"What business do they have picking on kids _your_ age?" Arthur outburst, glowering at the two boys.

"Hang on a minute," Francis held up a manicured hand. "They are bigger than you?"

Peter nodded, and Raivis copied him. "Definitely."

"Have they physically threatened you?" Francis asked.

"All the time!" Raivis blurted out. Arthur was fairly sure it was the first time he'd heard him speak.

"How many of them are there?" Francis questioned.

"Three... sometimes four," Peter said, rubbing Raivis' back, because his friend looked haunted.

"Have they ever _harmed_ you?" Francis continued.

"No," Peter shook his head. "They've threatened us, and the most they've done is hold us down when we tried to run. We're too scared to fight, so they don't really have a reason…"

"As if self-defence is a reason…" Arthur huffed.

"I think, what we have here, are two teenage boys who feel extremely inadequate compared to boys of their own age, and thus feel the need to take it out on you two," Francis beamed. "They're probably low-life degenerate scum and thus take the opportunity to barter food and alcohol from you two innocent private school boys."

Arthur paled at the posh tone Francis adopted as he leant back, champagne flute balanced between his fingers.

"They don't sound very tough when compared to adults such as Arthur and I," Francis gestured to himself. "I think a little scaring would probably send them running off for good."

"Scaring, huh?" Arthur began to think, his mind drifting off to someone who would probably be quite good at that. "I actually know just the people who can help."

"Oh?" Francis glanced at him questioningly.

"Vladimir and Lukas," Arthur said proudly, knowing the pair of them could come up with an extremely wacky idea.

"How do you know _those_ two?" Francis stared at him incredulously.

Arthur shrugged, because he couldn't reveal that they were part of a secret society. "We have class together."

Francis didn't look convinced, but it wasn't currently important, so he let it slide.

"I'll talk to them and see what we can come up with," Arthur nodded.

"In the meantime… endure what they present to you," Francis told the boys. "Comply to their demands, and let them think nothing suspicious is about to happen. This needs to be authentic."

"Roger that!" Peter grinned, with sudden life in his eyes, as Raivis nodded wearily.

"Oh, _Francis_!" Arthur watched his friend's eyebrows knit together, and he peered past him to see Mrs Bonnefoy standing in the doorway.

It must've been about seven years since he'd seen her last… She never went outside, and she was never present whenever he was over. She looked just as radiant, with her brown hair drawn up into a bun behind her head and her lips turned up into a pretty, red smile. She had always had a doll-like look to her, and nothing seemed to have changed. Time hadn't challenged Mrs Bonnefoy's beauty.

" _Arthur_?" her eyes widened, and she walked- no, stumbled- into the room. Something was wrong. "Is that _you_?"

He stood from the sofa, because he was a gentleman, but only just caught her when she flung herself into his arms.

" _Mon dieu_!" she cried. "You've grown up _so_ much!"

"Hello, Mrs Bonnefoy," he said, politely.

"You're so handsome," she held his face in his hands, and it was only face to face that he smelt the alcohol on her breath.

His gaze flicked to a peevish Francis, who bustled over and took his mum by the shoulders.

"I thought you were going for your bath, _Mother_ ," he said firmly yet kindly.

"Oh, I couldn't find the bubbles," she pouted. "There's none left."

"No, there is, because I bought some just yesterday," Francis replied. "I put it on the shelf in the bath cabinet, remember?"

"No, but that's because you're not _meant_ to put it on the shelf," she huffed. "It goes beside the bath."

"Yes, and I'm sorry," he said, guiding her away. "We'll just have to run you a bath, OK? I'll be with you three in a moment."

"What would I do without you?" she leant into him as he led her from the room.

Arthur turned to the two Year Nines to see the bewildered looks on their faces.

"Well, I think we have a plan now, don't we?" he smiled proudly.

"What was wrong with her?" Peter whispered loudly, oblivious.

Arthur could've killed him.

"She looked drunk to me," Raivis said, suddenly bold and equally as oblivious.

"She has trouble sleeping," Arthur lied. "So she has prescription medication. It makes her act like that, so don't worry."

They both continued to stare.

"Does our plan sound good to you two?" he asked pointedly, hasty to change the subject.

The pair of them mumbled their agreements and left it at that.

* * *

 **A/N:** _I hope you like this chapter, and I truly hope this is my comeback! I'm sorry if I haven't replied to any reviews over the past few weeks, and I hope to be better to my readers in the future. Until next time!_


	46. Chapter 45

_Oh, wow. Look who crawled back from their grave. That's right, it's me- XOs! And I've come back stronger than ever, I like to think. So, why have I been gone so long? Actually, I do have a reason. For the past 4 weeks, I've been crazy busy. I finished term about 3 weeks ago, and the last week of term is also a rush what with last lectures before exams, and whatnot. Anyway, after that, I went to Greece for 2 weeks on a university planned study trip and, let's just say, the housemate I mentioned in the previous chapter made it unnecessarily more difficult than it was meant to be._

 _You know when someone seems to be purposefully being difficult so they can take the moral high ground if you get mad at them? And they act all innocent like they had no idea what they were doing and had no part in the process whatsoever. Yep, you got my housemate in a nutshell. She's the most hypocritical, snobbish little bitch, if you shall excuse my French. I usually don't get angry at people, but I've been giving the past week some thought, since we argued over the study tour, and I've just decided to keep my space from her from now on. Whenever I hang out with, I feel worse, so I need to distance myself from toxic people. She's been really annoying me, what with being rude to my other friends, and I really feel like she holds me back from doing what I really want to do. She peer pressures, too._

 _I was talking to her about the day we met before we went to Greece, and it was actually on the first day of term, during Freshers' week (aka. XOs worst week of her life because she was far too nervous for partying). I was just leaving the event because, sadly, I get terrible anxiety and I was low-key having a panic attack, which I did explain to her when we were discussing how we met._

 _And she said._

 _She said._

 _"Yeah, you left me."_

 _So, apparently, in **her** books, it's totally 100% OK to keep someone who's having a panic attack in a loud and crowded environment. Friendship 101. _

**_Why on Earth didn't I see the signs when they were literally laid out in front of me?_**

 _She's not a good friend in the slightest and, in truth, never has been. So. I'm done. I'm finished being the nice person who gets walked across. Unfortunately, I'm living with her again next year, but with 4 others which will make things better. I have no more desire or requirement to be her friend, so from now on, the only reason I shall talk to her is if she talks to me._

 _Rant over. Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 45**

 **F.V.**

He stared at himself in the mirror with a proud smile on his face. The last time he had looked so smart was the Charity Ball. Because Emma had seen him in his last suit, Lovino had provided him with one of his. Lovino was a little shorter than Fel, but they were the same size in clothes due to their skinny frame, and tailored suits were too expensive for the Vargas household. That was why he wore Lovino's suit. It looked different and it fit him fine, even if it wasn't tailored to perfection. It occurred to him that he might've been overdoing it, but then Lovino suggested he just wear the blazer with jeans and a smart shirt. He looked very Italian.

Fel went downstairs and Lovino met him at the foot of the stairs. His left eye was still blackened and bruised from earlier in the week, but his split lip had definitely swelled down. Now, he just looked proud.

"You got a rose for her?" he asked smartly, waiting for Fel to pull the flower out.

He frowned. "Rose? What for?"

His brother paled. "You're going to your girlfriend's house, _Feliciano_. You're meeting her parents and her brothers, the older of whom she clearly holds in deep regard. What the fuck do you mean by 'what for'?"

"W-well, it wasn't like it was a special occasion o-or-"

"Not a special occasion?" Lovino gawked. "You are meeting her _parents_ , you bastard. They could be your in-laws one day and yet you wanna turn up at the door like a half-baked meal without flavour and present yourself without a single gift? I didn't realise you were trying to get dumped and have the entire family laugh about you behind your back, but if that's the case, then go the fuck ahead. Have you practiced your smooth, son-in-law talking?"

"No," Fel lowered his eyes to the ground, before frowning and looking at him. "Wait, what do you mean by that?"

"For shit's sake, you're useless at this," Lovino rolled his eyes. "How am _I_ single and you're not? You have to impress the parents- a girl listens to her papa and mama, trust me on that one."

Fel watched as Lovino grabbed his car keys. "What are you doing?"

"I'm driving you there," Lovino said.

"No, I can take the train," Fel protested, not wanting Lovino anywhere near Emma's house.

"You've already missed your train," Lovino checked his watch. "So driving will get you there on time. Unless you want to be late in front of her entire family?"

Fel kept his mouth shut.

"I thought so," Lovino replied. "Now get in the fucking car."

 **A.J.**

He killed Natalya. Pumping his fist in the air, he grinned and celebrated, the bowl of snacks in between them. She groaned and set her controller down, eating from the bowl in her moodiness. This had been his fourth kill in a row, and she had begun to get a little frustrated from it.

"You wanna stop?" he offered, hoping she wouldn't get irate.

"I never quit," she complained, restarting the game whilst chomping on crisps.

He fumbled for his controller. "Should I let you win?"

"Fuck you- absolutely not," she started slamming down on the buttons, aggravated.

That wasn't how you played. It was about a little bit of technique, rather than blitzing your enemy. Rapid shots had little chance of being critical hits- well timed firing was more effective. Alfred had had yet to reveal this small detail to Natalya. He felt it could wait a little longer.

She kept grabbing his wrist during the game and playing one handed, whilst pulling his hand around. Alfred let her, because he felt she at least needed to kill him _once_. It was only fair that way.

"You're not even trying," she complained.

"I'm a fair man," he replied.

"You're a dick," she smiled triumphantly when she killed him. "And you totally deserved that."

"You deserve this," he set his controller aside and kissed her cheek.

She rolled her eyes and blushed. "Where's Matthew?"

"Out with mum shopping," he said, kissing her jaw.

Turning her head to look at him, she received her kiss next on the lips. They had kissed a lot at this stage in their relationship. They must've been dating for around a month, although the initial attraction at least had to have been there for an additional two weeks. She dropped the controller to the carpet and let him edge close to her, tracing her fingers over his shoulders and contentedly looking him in the eyes. Although they had made their relationship official, Natalya had never properly held a conversation with Alfred's mum, and Alfred had never met Natalya's parents. That was funny, actually, considering he had always been good friends with Ivan…

He lowered his face and touched his lips to hers again, just as-

"We're home," his mum walked into the living with a smile that instantly dropped.

Alfred jerked back onto his heels and awkwardly knelt on the carpet as Natalya angled away abruptly, her face turning red. His mum stood there, shopping bags in her hands, looking just as embarrassed. Matthew peered over her shoulder, saw their expressions, and arched his eyebrows at Natalya.

"Hello, Natalya," his mum said cheerily.

"Hi, Karen," Natalya tried to smile but it looked more like a grimace. Since when had they become on first name terms?

"Alfred," his mum nodded to him in acknowledgement.

"Hey, mum," he coughed.

She rolled her eyes and wandered back into the kitchen. Matthew quickly followed after her, and the two of them sat in the living room.

"Karen?" he glanced at her with a raised eyebrow.

"What?" Natalya shrugged. "It would be weird if I was _still_ calling her 'Mrs Jones'."

"I'm not on first name terms with _your_ dad," he said pointedly.

"I think that may be because you've never actually met my dad," she replied.

Alfred had never thought about that before. Despite having been friends with Ivan for years, he had never met the Russian's dad. He had met everyone else's parents, and he was sure Ivan had met his family… It seemed Mr Braginsky was an elusive individual.

"Anyway," Natalya checked her watch. "I've gotta go."

"Hmm?" he frowned. "But I swear you only just got here?"

"Nah, I've been here hours," Natalya said. "Katyusha's visiting this weekend, so I need to be home to unpack."

"Shame," he turned his attention from the gaze and watched her stand, before getting to his own feet. "When will I see you again?"

"School- don't you ever have work to do?" she shot him a glance. "I'd have thought Year Thirteen would be quite busy…"

He puffed out his cheeks. His session with Kiku yesterday had resulted in some homework… which he hadn't done. He had tried to put it off, as usual.

"As I thought," she sighed. "Get to work. Maybe do it with Matthew? It might help you concentrate more to work with other people?"

He offered a non-committal shrug and followed her to the door, at least showing her out of the house. With her long, platinum hair falling over her shoulders, she wandered down the drive, back to her walk home. He didn't even think Ivan lived nearby, yet she always insisted on walking.

"Can you help us unpack the groceries?" Matthew asked from the kitchen.

With a sigh, he dipped back into the house to aid his family.

 **F.B.**

Today, they met at Arthur's, because his parents were out and Francis didn't want another episode with his mother. He had been terribly embarrassed about what had happened, although Arthur had had the grace not to mention it again. He knew his mother had a slightly unhealthy drinking problem, but she had been so depressed… and he believed emotional happiness was better for her than physical health.

Either way, they met at Arthur's house, and Francis felt incredibly out of his depth. He didn't really speak to Vladimir and Lukas much, and there was a reason for that… He found the pair of them extremely odd, and wondered how Arthur had missed the somewhat strange behaviour from either of them. His friend truly was oblivious.

Vladimir had checked every corner of the house, as if expecting to find someone listening in on their conversation. Lukas had such hollow, blue eyes that it seemed the life had left him long ago. Francis found them both incredibly eerie, so to see them seated with tea and coffee in front of them was somewhat surreal. Raivis also looked wary of them, and Peter was purely uncertain. Arthur was proud to reveal his new friends to the public.

"So that's what's going on," he finished explaining, and the two boys exchanged a glance.

"Have you tried speaking with these guys first?" Vladimir seemed more normal than _Arthur_ at this stage.

"They feel our involvement will worsen the situation," Francis said calmly.

"It will!" Peter protested indignantly.

"I understand," Lukas closed his eyes. "If my younger brother were being treated like this, I would want to instill fear in the hearts of the culprits. In that case, we ought to make it an unforgettable nightmare…"

A few glances were exchanged, but it wasn't worth speaking too much on it.

"What times do you normally see these boys?" Vladimir asked. "They're younger than us, so they'll likely be intimidated by a big group of Year Thirteens anyway, right?"

"Hmm, I suppose so," Arthur pondered.

"This wasn't quite the 'scare' I had in mind," Raivis frowned.

"Well, he's right," Francis shrugged. "We're older than them, so we should have an impact. When do you see them?"

The two Year Nines looked incredibly uncertain, with frowns etched on their faces as they looked at one another. He could tell the two boys were liking this plan less and less, but Francis didn't want the bullies to turn this against them. If they took a mature approach first, then they would look like the better people.

"Any time they see us walking home from school," Peter finally said. "We _have_ seen them on weekends, too…"

"Oh, well this is perfect, then," Vladimir smiled. "If we use you two as bait, we'll be able to confront them if they come out."

"But we'll be dead meat," Raivis squeaked.

"Nonsense," Vladimir leapt to his feet, waving a dismissive hand as he did so, and a gracious smile crept across his face. "I have a brother probably your age. I'd be devastated if he was getting bullied-"

"Are you talking about Aurel, by any chance?" Peter asked.

"Ah, yes," Vladimir grinned. "I didn't realise he hung out with you two!"

Francis cringed when the two boys forced smiles on their faces and vigorously nodded.

"In that case, I'll help out friends of my brother to the best of my abilities," Vladimir proclaimed. "Those boys won't see what's coming. They'll regret ever having messed with you once they see us imposing Year Thirteens confronting them about their actions."

"Yes," Lukas bobbed his head in agreement.

"Will this really work?" Francis whispered to Arthur.

"Of course," his friend was unusually adamant. Vladimir Voodoo had worked some serious magic on him, it seemed…

The Romanian student had a reputation of using black magic and gypsy magic. As stereotyping as that was, it had been, of course, Feliks who had spread that one. Even so, he was slightly like a vampire in that he never was seen outside and he generally kept away from all over students. Even Lukas had friends other than Vladimir.

"Lead the way," Vladimir announced. "We'll be moments behind you two, but not so close as to be seen. Also, make it look like you're innocently heading somewhere- bullies prey on innocence."

Francis could already see this going wrong, but he wanted to be pleasantly surprised, so said nothing as they all left for their battle. He could see the worry in the boys' eyes and dearly hoped this worked out right, purely for their sake.

* * *

 _But will it! Find out next time. I hope to post **this Friday** , and returned back to schedule. If not, then I'm just an awful person and should totally rethink my life. Until next time!_


	47. Chapter 46

_Oh, wow, hi, everyone! I actually stayed true to my word and posted a new chapter today! I was quite ranty last time but I really have to admit that was me venting up frustrations that had been piling up for a long time._

 _And, unfortunately, one disaster after another strikes the XOs household. I don't know if I've mentioned in the past, but about a year ago, on the 12th May, my grandma began to get really poorly and, sadly, she's not feeling her best anymore! I hope all goes well for Grandma XOs and that she battles through it!_

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 46**

* * *

 **K.H.**

He was surprised, if not a little relieved, that Alfred turned up at his door carrying his Maths equipment. The other boy looked ready to learn, much to Kiku's pleasure, so he held the door wider for him. Instantly, Pochi darted forwards to greet the guest, much to Kiku's embarrassment. That dog always seemed eager to show him up in front of guests. Alfred didn't mind, though. He set the books aside and showered Pochi with the attention the creature had so demanded. Kiku usually ignored him after a tired day of school, which left the dog to pander around him whilst he was working in the lounge. Some part of him was grateful that Alfred's adoration would leave Pochi, who was admittedly a little bit chubby underneath his fluffy coat, very tired. A fatigued Pochi was far better than an energetic one.

After cuddling the dog, Alfred gathered his stuff and turned to Kiku with a wide smile. "You up for a bit of work?"

"Always," Kiku gestured towards the lounge, knowing that Alfred was finally serious about improving his Maths grade.

 **F.V.**

He was incredibly nervous as Lovino dropped him off at the house. His brother had given him some last minute instructions before spritzing him with some cologne he kept stored in the car. They shared it as a family, but Lovino used it the most.

Emma's house looked really nice. It was very clean, and the tulips growing in the front garden gave off a pretty picture. He considered plucking one and offering it to Emma as a surrogate rose, but knew that would only end in misery, so swiftly changed his mind against that. He would just have to hope they didn't notice he hadn't brought her anything.

Plucking his courage, he dashed to the front door and rang the bell. There were a few tense moments, until the door opened to reveal Jan. He was Emma's brother in the year below, a sweet and compassionate boy who only wanted the best for everyone. Feliciano had rarely spoken to him, but on the odd times of having seen him, he had always been a very pleasant boy. He wasn't the older brother Emma seemed to revere so much, but he was perfectly nice, and also made good company. He opened his mouth to say something before Emma slipped past, pushing him aside.

"Fel," she grinned, leaning forward to briefly kiss him. It warded Jan off relatively quickly, something she seemed relieved about. "Come in."

He walked into her house and gazed around in awe. It was so pretty, with its clean walls and vacuumed carpets. A blue vase contained pearly pink and white tulips. There was a family photo, but Fel didn't get the chance to look at it before Emma dragged him along, deeper into the house. She didn't seem to mind that he hadn't brought anything for her. That was the beauty of Emma- she never expected a lot from him, which meant he had very little to live up to.

"I've been telling Abel about you so much," she enthused. "He's been saying he wanted to meet you, which is always a good sign."

Fel didn't know about that. He personally would never want Lovino to take interest in someone he was dating, for fear that his smooth talking older brother could win a girl's heart better than he could. It was likely a very different scenario for Emma and the Peeters family.

They were gathered in the kitchen. Emma's parents were plump and smiling, and Jan looked just as friendly. There was no sign of this mysterious older brother.

"Fel- it's really nice to meet you," Emma's father enthused. "Please have a seat."

"Where's Abel?" Emma asked as she sat down.

"He's just gone to the bathroom," her mother replied cheerfully.

Fel felt like he was in the perfect atmosphere.

"We've planned a lovely meal for us today," Mrs Peeters beamed. "As a starter, we'll have _tomate-crevette_ and _stoemp_ will be the main meal. Emma absolutely adores her waffles, but I've decided we're having _tarte au riz_ for dessert, as it's much more fitting for the occasion."

He had no idea what any of these foods were, but they all sounded delicious. Any food was enough to make Fel hungry, and he couldn't wait to get tucked in once the feast commenced.

"But first things first, would like you like wine, or perhaps another drink?" Mrs Peeters continued.

Fel spied the bottle of white wine and smiled. "Wine is lovely, thank you."

"It's just so wonderful to meet you," Mr Peeters repeated. "We've heard so much, and _Italian_ , Feliciano. You must know a lot about cooking?"

"A fair deal," he beamed.

"And he's modest," Mr Peeters nodded knowingly towards an embarrassed Emma.

"Abel," Jan beamed, and Fel turned in his seat-

-and looked up.

He tried not to pale, but when he met the older brother's gaze, he was completely different to the rest of the family. He didn't look remotely friendly, with his narrowed green eyes and spiked hair. In fact, he bordered sullen and surly. Fel rose from his chair with a shaky smile, hoping that he just looked incredibly mountainous because he had been seated. Wrong. Emma's brother was definitely taller than Ludwig, and he wasn't lanky, either. He looked strong enough to beat Fel to the ground with relative ease if the truth of his infidelity were to be discovered. With shaky knees, he reached out a hand.

" _C-ciao_ ," Fel swallowed.

Abel clasped his hand firmly, and Fel's fearful heart fluttered at the possibility of his fingers being broken. Of course, that didn't happen.

"Feliciano, huh?" the older brother raised a critical eyebrow. "Emma mentioned you."

"She talked about you, too," Fel nodded shakily. "I-it's so good to meet you."

The only response he received was a hum, before the older brother walked around and took the seat opposite. Fel felt his eyes boring two holes into his soul. This was going to be a nightmare lunch.

 **L.B.**

He was drafting ideas of what to do on Fel's birthday. It had been plaguing his mind for some time, but he was sure that Fel would love to have a trip to a theme park. Fel loved those kinds of things, with their action and adventure, and where he could have the odd little flirt with girls.

"What you up to?" Gilbert swept into the room and beelined for the fridge.

"Planning stuff to do for Fel's birthday," Ludwig replied. "I'm thinking the theme park so far."

"What, little Feli and the theme park?" Gilbert pulled a face.

"You don't think he'll like that?" Ludwig had thought it a rather good idea.

"He hates scary rides," Gilbert shrugged. "And the non-fast rides tend to be a bit dull."

"Hmm, I really thought it might be a good idea…" Ludwig sat back.

"I'm not saying it's a bad idea," Gilbert said quickly. "Fel likes simple things. As long as he gets to hang out with you and Kiku, he'll be happy."

"He likes pasta…" Ludwig contemplated. "A lot…"

"There we go, then," Gilbert said. "Book a nice restaurant. Food is what Fel loves."

"You're right," Ludwig said. "Nothing too complicated."

His brother nodded, grabbed a beer and left the room without another word.

 **A. K.**

He was determined to help his little brother, so when the two young boys set off, he kept his distance, alongside his friends. He had given Peter a walkie-talkie, which his brother had left on, so that they could hear when the bullies confronted them. He stood underneath the shelter of some trees alongside Francis, Vladimir and Lukas. So far, so good.

His friends had helped themselves to ice creams, despite the still chilly weather, but Arthur was diligent and on red alert. This would be the moment when those boys were put in their place. He didn't want to ever see his brother look downtrodden ever again. Peter was supposed to be a snarky little shit, who was constantly talking back to Arthur and showing deep disrespect. To see his brother in such a subdued manner had angered Arthur. He wanted to see Peter laugh again, even if it was laughing at him.

The walkie talkie began to pick up other voices other than Peter's and Raivis'. He motioned for the other three to fall silent, and listened. Since they had their speaker on mute, they couldn't be heard. It meant they were free to make as much noise as possible.

"You two little runts slinking around on our turf again?" a gravelly voice demanded, and Arthur nodded to the others. They began setting off on the route Peter and Raivis had taken.

"W-we're just on our way to the supermarket," Raivis nervously responded, and Arthur pitied him deeply.

"But you brought the stuff we asked for?" another nasal voice asked.

"We didn't," Peter said vehemently. "We're not going to bow down to you guys anymore."

"Oh, is that so?" the first voice boomed. "Where did all this sudden strength come from?"

"I have the right mind to call the police on you," Peter snapped.

"And what good would that do?" a third voice asked. "By the time you call them, we'd have left, and you wouldn't have any evidence against us anyway. Are we gonna have to pound you a bit just to knock down this strange and sudden confidence?"

"P-please don't hurt us," Raivis said.

Arthur turned onto the isolated road where the two boys often walked. His stride held determination and purpose. The three bullies sounded horrible. Luckily, there were four of them, and they were _older_. Bullies usually shrank under the force of authority, and Arthur felt that, as Year Thirteens, they were the epitome of such an ideal. He smiled at the thought of the bullies fleeing the moment the four of them appeared on the scene. OK, he had to admit that there were _at least_ three and a half of them. Francis looked terrified and he had never been much of a fighter, other than with words. Arthur wasn't entirely sure about the physical abilities of Vladimir and Lukas, but they both held a slightly eerie aura that would likely frighten the bullies. Francis lacked even that.

He saw his brother soon, and the three bullies raised their heads. They all had shaved heads and wore baggy clothes. To Arthur, they looked like the dregs of society. His lip curled to think such beasts had been bullying his brother.

"Who are you?" the leading thug demanded.

"I'm his brother," Arthur retorted. "His _older_ … brother…"

And he faltered. Because all three of the guys, once they had gotten close enough, were bigger in size than Arthur had anticipated. They stood taller and wider compared to Arthur and his skinny crew.

" _Merde_ ," Francis hissed under his breath.

"Older, huh?" the bully stepped up to Arthur, sneering down at him. "Funny that. Because you look just as weak and prissy."

"Run," Vladimir squeaked.

Arthur didn't contest that. All four of them, plus Peter and Raivis, turned on their heel and sprinted to the safety of society. The three bullies didn't try to chase after, much to Arthur's relief.

"That failed!" Peter pointed out.

"I know," he growled. "I didn't expect them all to be six foot giants as well as completely unafraid. I thought…"

"You thought wrong, whatever it is you thought," Peter said bitterly. "Now what are we supposed to do? They're going to kill us for telling you and getting you all involved."

"Firstly, don't walk alone- always have an adult or one of us with you," Arthur said as they fled. "And secondly, I'll need to formulate another plan, something that'll make them leave the two of you alone forever."

"Will this one actually work?" they all stopped to catch their breath.

"I haven't thought of it yet," Arthur bristled. "How can something that doesn't exist work?"

Peter looked sceptical, and so did everyone else. Arthur, however, was determined to see those bullies weep and turn on their heels in fear.

* * *

 _OK, so I may have accidentally turned a 30 minute nap into a 2 hour one, oops. Anyway, I hope this chapter was enjoyable to read and with any luck I'll get back into my routine of posting regularly! I know I've been saying that for the past 6 months and failing to deliver, but one problem keeps arising after another. I hope, with summer coming, that I won't have too much on my plate once exams are over! Until next time!_


	48. Chapter 47

**A/N:** _Hello, and sorry for the late post. Based on my previous A/Ns, I'm sure a lot of you know that I'm clawing my way out of the abyss to slowly get back onto a regular posting schedule! I really am trying, even if my next exam is 2 weeks from today. I'm getting everything sorted out, but I've been under a lot of pressure and my university is currently helping me out with a few things! They've been really nice about the whole thing, which really is lovely!_

 _On the bright side, I got my marks back for a presentation, and it went really well! I got 74/100. For all of you who don't know how the UK university marking scheme works, I'll give you a little detail. For starts, we don't have A, B, C, D, etc. grades. We have a weird system where you can get 5 possible results: a fail, which is anything below a 40; a third, which is any mark ranging from 40-49; a 2:2, 50-59; a 2:1, 60-69, and a first is 70+! That's right; I only need 40% to pass, although I pride myself in trying to get 65% and above!_

 _I got a jolly good 1st in that presentation, which was worth 50% of my module. The other half of the module was an essay that I got 68 in, which gives me an overall 71/100 in the module. In other words, I passed the module with an overall 1st!_

 _Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!_

* * *

 **Chapter 47**

* * *

 **A.J.**

The school bells chimed as he wandered in through the gates with Matthew. His entire weekend had been spent learning Math with Kiku. It had been a relief to spend time with his Japanese friend. He couldn't believe he had ridiculed his help beforehand. The guilt was still present, even if Kiku had had the grace to set aside their past differences. Piece by piece, Alfred was picking up his friendships. Of course… he doubted he would ever make amends with Ivan. He had left that for far too long. There was certainly an emptiness in his life where his Russian friend had once stood. He'd even neglected speaking to the other three, although he was sure they would understand.

He couldn't believe they only had two weeks of term left. It felt like time had flown by. After this, their lives would be consumed by revision and exams. He was nervous, but now that he had Kiku to help him by, he felt more confident that he could pick up his dwindling grades. It wasn't long until the exams now. He had to guess he had about two or three months until the season set in. He could imagine himself now, holed up in the large hall with his fellow students scribbling away at blank papers. It was always a stressful time of the year.

Upon reaching the classroom, he beelined for his three friends. Yao was sitting moodily by the table. He hadn't been fully responsive ever since the Charity Ball, although Alfred noticed he was hanging out with Ivan less. As for the other two… Francis and Arthur were perpetually in their own little bubble. He had to suppose that was only natural, as they had known each other for as long as they had lived.

"Sup bros," he threw himself down into the nearest chair.

"These two are talking about bullying some Year Twelves," Yao grumbled.

"I'll have you know, those same Year Twelves are bullying my _brother_ ," Arthur scowled. "We have every right to make them pay."

"Except, at this rate, they'll make _us_ pay," Francis added glumly.

"What's this?" Alfred frowned. He hadn't realised Peter was being bullied.

"I've got it," Arthur suddenly grinned. "I can't believe I didn't use you beforehand!"

"What?" Alfred squinted.

"Look at him, Francis," Arthur pointed at him. "He might look friendly, but he's built. He could take them down any day."

"Beating on kids isn't PC, guys," Alfred said uncomfortably.

"Oh, trust me, when you see these 'kids' you won't mind helping us," Arthur replied smugly. "They're pretty huge themselves, yet they still pick on little Peter and his friend Raivis. Honestly, they're making my brother act strange and quiet."

"I mean, I could take a look, but why don't you just tell your parents, or the police, even?" Alfred felt uncomfortable about this.

Arthur huffed. "Peter doesn't want us to, and I agree that the adults won't be able to aid this situation. If we tell anyone, it will only make things worse. Things are probably bad enough since he told _us_ about them."

"I'll see what I can do," Alfred offered them a winning smile.

 **L.B.**

Fel was unusually quiet throughout the day. He could see something was playing on his mind. Perhaps it was the dawning realisation that, soon, he would be eighteen, an official adult. Perhaps it was something else? Ludwig had always found his Italian friend difficult to read, so it was hard to say what he was thinking. Still, it was something that clearly bothered him.

Ludwig was mainly concerned that Fel was getting a little tired so near his birthday. He and Kiku had organised to eat at the finest world buffet in the city, something Ludwig knew Fel would love. The plan was to turn up at his house as a surprise and bring him out. Ludwig knew Fel would love that a lot. Kiku had agreed. But with this bad mood hanging over his head, Ludwig worried Fel might not appreciate surprises. He really hoped he wouldn't be spoiling his friend's day or something.

"Are you OK, Fel?" Kiku was the one to jump on the problem.

"Oh, yeah, it's just…" their friend considered for a moment. "I met Emma's family over the weekend."

"Oh?" Ludwig arched his eyebrows. How had Fel managed to get himself into a serious relationship despite his circumstances?

"Emma wanted me to meet her brother before he went back to work in the Netherlands- he was visiting that weekend, you see…" Fel twiddled his thumbs. "And… and…"

"What is it?" Kiku looked concerned, seeing the obvious fear in Fel's eyes.

"He's really scary," Fel shuddered, paling.

"I see," Ludwig frowned.

"It made me think about my… um, my… my situation and…" Fel swallowed. "Abel's not the kind of brother I particularly would want to cross."

"Perhaps you should break up with one of them, then?" Ludwig sighed. "You knew this was never going to end well…"

"That's true, but…" Fel pursed his lips. "I like them both… I… I'm seeing Michelle this weekend. She's coming round mine…"

Ludwig nodded and Kiku raised his eyebrows.

"It's just… Lovino knows I have a girlfriend and he… he wants to meet her," Fel confessed.

"But he doesn't know you have _two_ ," Kiku pointed out.

Ludwig watched his Italian friend give them both a dry look. "Of course not. He would be mad."

"It's your decision," Ludwig finalised, seeing Fel was beginning to get irate once more. "We have drama class to get to."

 **I.B.**

He had gone back to the life of latching on to Toris, which meant he had to hang out with Feliks again today. He hadn't seen much of Yao since the Charity Ball fiasco, which made sense considering he had lied to him about Mei, only to then turn up to the dance with her. It had been a month since he had actually hung out with someone who liked him. He knew Toris and the other two were only tolerating him. It was… lonely.

"Ivan!"

He turned and was surprised to see Mei. The other three hesitated, although he knew they wanted to walk on. He motioned for them to go on ahead, and they did, without second thoughts.

"It's been ages," Mei reached him, breathless. "I'm so sorry. I've been busy with mocks and all."

Of course. The Year Twelves also had their mock examinations.

"Time just flew by after that," she continued. "I've been meaning to ask how you were doing since, well…"

The unspoken words were that, the last time she had seen him, he had been in a fight with Alfred.

"Oh, everything's fine," he replied.

"Really?" she peered at him. "You look tired."

It seemed his misery was becoming an exterior thing, too.

"No, I'm fine," he smiled.

Mei twiddled her thumbs as she watched him. She didn't believe him. Of course she didn't believe him.

"I'm fine," he repeated bluntly, before turning his back on her and walking away.

 **Y.W.**

As usual, he was complimented on his drama skills. A few Year Twelves had been recruited as back stage characters at this point, which included Natalya. She was the only one who had the confidence to fill in characters for their groups. It came to the point where she could practically recite the play, much to Yao's amusement. Strange, though, that she would hang out with _them_ instead of _Ivan_. He had to assume her relationship with Alfred had something to do with that. Didn't any of them find that triangle remotely awkward?

As soon as he left the classroom, he felt an emptiness within. Something didn't feel right with his studies, and it hadn't for a while. He was constantly bored of the work that he would eventually do in his degree at university. That wasn't right, was it? Or was it true that you could never be truly happy on the road to success? Something was wrong, and he was itching to know more about it. It was the end of the school day and everyone was going home.

"You coming?" Alfred asked him, looking over his shoulder.

"I've, um… I've actually got a meeting about… history now," he lied.

"Oh?" Arthur blinked. "Are you having troubles? Your grades are always good, Yao."

"It's about exam technique," he said, off handed. "I just wanted to know how I could do things _better_ … that's all… aru."

"Alright then, dude," Alfred lifted a hand. "See ya."

He waved the other three off, before taking a completely different direction towards the welfare offices. This had been playing on his mind for a very long time. He carried himself to Mrs Kelly's office, and stood in the doorway for a while before knocking.

"Come in!" the school councillor answered brightly.

Inhaling deeply, Yao pushed open the door and wandered inside. It was so clean cut. He felt like he'd accidentally wandered into a psychiatrist's office. Of course, this was far more friendly, with posters about mental health on the walls, a dancing electronic plant on her desk, and various other colourful jokes about school that were meant to be funny, but weren't really. Alongside those were motivational articles, and her certificate to show she was qualified. He had never thought much about visiting Mrs Kelly's office. For some reason, to do so held bad connotations. It was an unspoken rule to avoid ending up in Mrs Kelly's office, even if nobody understood why anymore.

"Mr Wang," even she seemed surprised to see him standing there. "Take a seat. Is there something I can help you with?"

He lowered himself nervously into the seat and swallowed. "I… um…"

"Is something the matter?" she looked genuinely concerned.

"It's… about studies," he frowned. "I… I've been feeling a little uncertain about my subjects recently."

"Oh?" she laced her fingers together.

"I haven't been feeling as motivated lately," he confessed. "I'd guess it's a lack of interest, but that doesn't feel right, considering I'm heading for my desired course in Accounting and Finance at university."

"When did these feelings arise?" she asked.

He hesitated. "This term, aru. Definitely this term."

"Do you know what might be the potential cause for it all?" she asked.

He wondered why _she_ was asking the questions, rather than him.

"I… I don't know, aru?" he frowned.

"Accounting and Finance, you say?" her gaze traced along the papers on her desk. "How long have you wanted to go on to do that course?"

He stared at her, and tried to think back. Yao couldn't pinpoint an exact moment when he was certain he wanted to go on to do that. He supposed Year Eleven, since that was when they picked their specialist subjects? But then… even _then_ … he couldn't say he'd had Accounting and Finance in mind. In fact… when had _he_ really had a choice in what he'd always wanted to do?

"I don't… my parents wanted…" he pursed his lips, trying to find the moment.

She remained silent.

"I don't want to," he realised, staring at her. "I've _never_ wanted to. I've never really thought about what _I_ wanted to do, but… I… I began feeling this way when… we started working the Year Thirteen drama production."

The faintest of smiles reached her mouth.

"I don't want to do Accounting and Finance," he gawked. "I've only listened to what my parents wanted me to do. I want… I want to be an _actor_. I want to stand on a stage and spread emotions to others through my performances, aru."

Mrs Kelly nodded.

"But… I've already applied for university," he sunk back in his seat, and stared down at his feet. "And I'm not sure how my parents would feel about this, aru…"

"Mr Wang… I want you to listen to me very carefully when I say this," Mrs Kelly said, and he looked her dead in the eye. "Follow the path you love, even if it takes a little longer to reach the end."

He blinked, before smiling. "I understand, aru. Thank you."

"If you ever need to talk again, I'm always available," she smiled her encouragement.

He left the office feeling much better than he had in a while. In fact, Yao Wang left the school councillor's office a changed man.

* * *

 **A/N:** _I'm just going to leave you all with that information, particularly those who haven't left school yet. The future seems like such a difficult and spooky thing, especially when it suddenly dawns on you about any uncertainties that might lie ahead. For me, I really struggled at this point, although some of my friends realised a change in path was the way to go. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It's so important to follow what you want to do, otherwise you'll get stuck in a loop of classes you don't really love._

 _Until next time!_


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